---
title: 'Security Score'
description: "How Panguard calculates your system's risk score from 0-100 with letter grades A through F."
icon: 'chart-simple'
---

# Security Score

A single 0-100 number that tells you exactly where your system's security stands. Every scan and every Guard status check returns this score alongside a letter grade.

```
  Score: 85/100 [=================---] Grade: B
```

---

## Grade Scale

| Score  | Grade | Meaning                                        |
| ------ | ----- | ---------------------------------------------- |
| 90-100 | **A** | Excellent -- protection is comprehensive       |
| 80-89  | **B** | Good -- minor improvements possible            |
| 70-79  | **C** | Fair -- address medium-risk issues             |
| 60-69  | **D** | Needs improvement -- significant risks present |
| 0-59   | **F** | Critical -- immediate action required          |

---

## Scoring Factors

The security score is a weighted composite of 8 factors, each independently scored 0-100:

| Factor                 | Weight | What It Measures                                  |
| ---------------------- | ------ | ------------------------------------------------- |
| **Open Ports**         | 15%    | Are unnecessary ports exposed to the network?     |
| **Firewall**           | 15%    | Is the firewall enabled with comprehensive rules? |
| **System Updates**     | 15%    | Are OS and software packages up to date?          |
| **Threat Status**      | 15%    | Are there known active threats on the system?     |
| **Password Policy**    | 10%    | Is password complexity enforced?                  |
| **Security Tools**     | 10%    | Are antivirus, EDR, or IDS tools installed?       |
| **Compliance**         | 10%    | Does the system meet basic security frameworks?   |
| **Response Readiness** | 10%    | Are threat response mechanisms in place?          |

### Calculation

```
Total = (Ports x 0.15) + (Firewall x 0.15) + (Updates x 0.15) +
        (Threats x 0.15) + (Password x 0.10) + (Tools x 0.10) +
        (Compliance x 0.10) + (Response x 0.10)
```

<Info>
  Each factor is independently scored 0-100. The weighted sum produces the final composite score.
</Info>

---

## Quick Scan vs Full Scan

The depth of the scan affects how many factors are evaluated:

| Scan Mode               | Duration    | Factors Evaluated                                                  | Use Case            |
| ----------------------- | ----------- | ------------------------------------------------------------------ | ------------------- |
| `panguard scan --quick` | ~30 seconds | Open ports, firewall, password policy, running services            | Fast daily check    |
| `panguard scan`         | ~60 seconds | All 8 factors including SSL certs, scheduled tasks, shared folders | Comprehensive audit |

<Tip>
  A quick scan may produce a slightly different score than a full scan because it evaluates fewer
  factors. For the most accurate score, run a full scan.
</Tip>

---

## Score Breakdown Example

After running a scan, Panguard displays a detailed breakdown:

```
  -- Risk Score ----------------------------

  Score: 72/100 [==================--] Grade: C
  Trend: improving (+5 since last scan)

  Breakdown:
    Firewall:    80/100
    Open Ports:  60/100
    Passwords:   50/100
    Updates:     90/100
    Tools:       70/100
    Threats:     85/100
    Compliance:  65/100
    Response:    70/100
```

---

## Continuous Score Updates with Guard

When Guard is running, the security score is recalculated continuously as conditions change:

- A new port opens -- the Open Ports factor drops, score decreases
- A threat is detected and auto-blocked -- the Threat Status factor updates
- Guard has been running for 7+ days -- the Response Readiness factor improves

```bash
panguard guard status
```

```
  -- Security Score -----------------------

  Score: 88/100 [===================] Grade: B
  Trend: stable (no change in 48h)
  Guard uptime: 14 days
```

<Note>
  Guard's continuous monitoring provides a more accurate and current score than periodic scans
  alone. The score updates in near real-time as your system's security posture changes.
</Note>

---

## Trend Tracking

The security score tracks changes over time:

| Trend         | Condition                                     | Meaning                            |
| ------------- | --------------------------------------------- | ---------------------------------- |
| **Improving** | Score increased by 2+ points since last check | Security posture is getting better |
| **Declining** | Score decreased by 2+ points since last check | Security posture is degrading      |
| **Stable**    | Change within 2 points                        | Security posture is steady         |

<Warning>
  A declining trend should trigger investigation even if the absolute score is still acceptable.
  Small drops often precede larger issues.
</Warning>

---

## PDF Reports

The security score is a central element of generated PDF reports:

- **Score and grade** displayed prominently on the first page
- **Factor breakdown** with individual scores per category
- **Remediation recommendations** prioritized by impact on score
- **Trend graph** showing score changes over time (when historical data is available)

```bash
panguard scan --output my-report.pdf
```

---

## Where to View Your Score

<AccordionGroup>
  <Accordion title="Panguard Scan">
    Every scan displays the security score at completion:

    ```bash
    panguard scan
    ```

  </Accordion>
  <Accordion title="Panguard Guard">
    Guard continuously calculates a real-time score. View it with:

    ```bash
    panguard guard status
    ```

  </Accordion>
  <Accordion title="Panguard Status">
    Quick overview of the current score:

    ```bash
    panguard status
    ```

  </Accordion>
</AccordionGroup>

---

## Improving Your Score

<Steps>
  <Step title="Run a full scan">
    Start with `panguard scan` to get your current score and see the factor breakdown.
  </Step>
  <Step title="Address critical findings first">
    Focus on CRITICAL and HIGH severity findings. These have the largest impact on your score.
  </Step>
  <Step title="Enable Guard">
    Running Guard continuously improves your Response Readiness and Threat Status factors.
  </Step>
  <Step title="Rescan to verify">
    Run another scan after making changes to confirm your score has improved.
  </Step>
</Steps>

---

## Related

<CardGroup cols={2}>
  <Card title="Your First Scan" icon="magnifying-glass" href="/guides/first-scan">
    Step-by-step guide to running your first security scan.
  </Card>
  <Card title="Learning Mode" icon="graduation-cap" href="/concepts/learning-mode">
    How Guard builds a behavioral baseline during the 7-day learning period.
  </Card>
</CardGroup>
