By Scott Kannry, CEO and Co-founder, Axio

Until recently, Cyber Risk Quantification (CRQ) was used primarily by IT security teams to prioritize initiatives and guide resource allocation. But an interesting trend has emerged in recent years: CRQ solutions have become more accessible so they can be-and indeed are-tapped by non-IT users both inside and outside of organizations to inform a wide array of business functions.

What's driving this shift? Simplicity.

Modern CRQ solutions have been streamlined so that actionable cyber risk insights can be easily surfaced without deep technical knowledge. This increased accessibility is breaking down silos between departments, fostering collaboration across entire business ecosystems, and establishing a common language for managing cyber risk.

In this article, I'll describe what this new chapter in CRQ looks like and how it's being used by non-technical users of all kinds including business leaders, insurers, and financial stakeholders.

How ease-of-use is bringing more people over to #TeamCRQ

Historically, CRQ has been a complex and resource-intensive endeavor, requiring extensive inputs and technical knowledge before it could deliver any meaningful outputs. This waterfall approach often alienated non-IT users, relegating CRQ to the domain of cybersecurity specialists.

But in a world where cyber risks have financial, operational, and reputational impacts that extend far beyond the IT department, this approach no longer suffices. Simplified CRQ solutions have been developed to bridge this knowledge gap by:

• Delivering quick, directional insights based on just a few initial inputs.
• Allowing iterative refinements as more granular data becomes available.
• Distilling multiple risk insights into aggregated dashboards.
• Translating risks into the universal language of dollars and cents, to make them accessible to non-technical stakeholders.
  

This ease of use ensures that CRQ is not only more inclusive, but also more effective, enabling faster, better-informed decisions across departments.

CRQ's new power users

As CRQ becomes more user-friendly, it will continue to be a critical tool for an increasing number of users. Here are three non-IT pioneers I've seen taking advantage of simplified CRQ:

Chief Financial Officers and other financial leaders

CFOs are tasked with balancing financial performance and organizational risk. With CRQ, they can better align cybersecurity investments with overall financial goals. CFOs can leverage CRQ to prioritize high-ROI investments in cybersecurity, optimize insurance coverage by identifying gaps and ensuring adequate protection, and model the potential financial impacts of cyber events on their balance sheets. Or, at the very least, it can be a bridge that allows IT and business leaders to speak in a common language.

Insurers and brokers

In the insurance value chain, aligning on risk terminology has always been a challenge, but CRQ is bridging the gap. Insurers and brokers are now using CRQ to establish a shared, business-oriented language that aligns enterprise clients with tailored insurance solutions. Enterprises benefit from securing customized coverage that matches their unique risk profiles, while brokers are empowered to offer more precise solutions, and insurers gain insights needed to responsibly expand their offerings. This collaboration ensures that risks are quantified, understood, and addressed effectively across all stakeholders.

Financial players

Private equity firms, credit rating agencies, and institutional investors are also tapping into the power of simplified CRQ to make smarter investment decisions. By modeling the financial impact of cyber scenarios, these stakeholders can assess the resilience of individual companies in their portfolios, better understand overall portfolio risks, and identify vulnerabilities that might impact financial viability. This clarity helps financial players align their cyber risk assessments with broader investment strategies, enhancing both portfolio quality and long-term returns.

Lowering the bar to access, to raise the bar of insight

The improved accessibility of CRQ solutions is a key part of a broader transformation in how organizations approach cyber risk. By providing actionable, easy-to-understand insights, simplified CRQ fosters deeper collaboration across business ecosystems, breaking down barriers between technical and non-technical stakeholders.

This shift ensures that cybersecurity is no longer viewed as a cloistered responsibility but as a shared priority that touches every aspect of the organization, from financial strategy to insurance coverage and investment decisions.

In 2025 and beyond, CRQ will redefine cyber risk management, driving smarter decisions, stronger collaboration, and greater resilience across the business ecosystem. Organizations that embrace simplified CRQ solutions will be better equipped to navigate the complexities of today's cyber landscape, ensuring that every stakeholder-from the CFO to the insurer to the investor-has the tools and insights they need to succeed.

The future of CRQ is here, and it's not just simpler-it's smarter.

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Scott Kannry is the Chief Executive Officer and Co-founder of Axio, a leading cyber risk management company. As the architect of Axio's four-quadrant cyber loss impact taxonomy and methodology for evaluating and stress testing insurance portfolios, Scott spearheaded a novel process designed specifically to better align overall cyber exposure with insurability. This approach was the first to codify the reality that cyber predicated losses can trigger numerous lines of insurance coverage. Scott has been recognized as a 40 Under 40 broker by Business Insurance magazine, a power broker by Risk and Insurance magazine, and an industry rising star by Reactions magazine.