About the Book

From Heatmaps to Histograms: A Practical Guide to Cyber Risk Quantification is for security and risk professionals who are tired of heat maps that don’t change decisions. Executives don’t need more red-yellow-green boxes — they need clarity on trade-offs, opportunity costs, and what level of risk the organization can actually live with.

This book shows how to move from vague risk statements to decision-quality analysis, without drowning in math or theory. It’s written in plain language, filled with stories and examples, and built to help you take action right away. Whether you’re a risk manager, security leader, or GRC professional, you’ll find practical tools you can apply the next day.

What You’ll Learn

By the end of the book, you’ll be able to:

• Build a clear mental model for how cyber risk quantification (CRQ) works and why it matters.

• Use three essential data sources — internal metrics, external benchmarks, and SME input — to inform analysis.

• Run practical simulations (like Monte Carlo) without needing advanced math skills.

• Translate analysis into executive narratives that resonate and drive better decisions.

• Evaluate trade-offs and opportunity costs instead of debating color codes.

• Avoid common pitfalls like false precision, bad survey data, and overconfidence.

• Apply case studies and walkthroughs to your own organization.