Welcome to the ArxNimbus Cyber Risk FAQ Hub
From financial quantification to insurance optimization, these frequently asked questions break down how ArxNimbus turns cybersecurity chaos into business clarity. Whether you're a CISO, BISO, or board-level decision-maker, this guide explains how our platform delivers measurable, actuarial-based risk reduction.
Who Is Arxnimbus?
ArxNimbus (noun, L. “cloud fortress”) is a cybersecurity software company specializing in actuarial-based cyber risk quantification (ACRQ). Our patented Thrivaca™ platform delivers financially relevant insights into your cyber risk, giving enterprises and insurers a strategic edge in decision-making, budgeting, and compliance.
What’s in it for you?
A defensible, data-driven risk score (T-score) trusted by underwriters, CFOs, and boards—so you can justify spend, secure smarter cyber insurance coverage, and avoid debilitating budget surprises.
Offices: Chicago, IL & Pasadena, CA
323 E Wacker Drive, Suite 300, Chicago, IL 60601
23 E Colorado Blvd, Suite 101, Pasadena, CA 91105
info@arxnimbus.com | 888-422-6584 | Contact Us
Now let's tackle "where does ArxNimbus get its data" and who can benefit.
What does ArxNimbus Thrivaca do?
ArxNimbus Thrivaca is a data-driven cyber risk quantification and management data engine that translates cyber risks into financial terms.
- It functions like an "MRI machine" for an organization's cybersecurity posture, providing objective diagnostics rather than subjective assessments.
- The platform quantifies potential financial impacts of various cyber threats, evaluates the effectiveness of existing controls, and identifies the most cost-effective remediation strategies.
- It also benchmarks an organization's cyber risk against industry peers and calculates remaining exposure after accounting for controls and insurance.
What types of data does ArxNimbus Thrivaca use or need?
The platform ingests multiple data types, including:
- Enterprise financial data (valuation, employee count, sensitive records)
- External attack surface data from scanning 3.9 billion IP addresses across 1400 ports
- Opensource Intelligence including Dark web mentions of the company and dark market pricing for records, etc.
- Patching cadence metrics
- Security control implementation status
- Historical breach data from 22 primary sources including Verizon DBIR, FBI reports
- Industry-specific risk factors based on NAICS codes
- Third-party security assessments (via Security Scorecard, Risk Recon)
- Optional internal scanning data when permitted
What role does NIST and MITRE ATT&CK play in ArxNimbus Thrivaca?
NIST frameworks provide the foundational structure for Thrivaca's control assessments. The platform maps all security findings directly to specific NIST controls and sub-controls, creating a defensible framework approved by NIST themselves.
MITRE ATT&CK is used alongside the FFIEC threat taxonomy to create comprehensive threat mappings. While the FFIEC taxonomy covers 23 high-level threats, the MITRE framework encompasses approximately 1,200 specific attack techniques.
Together, these frameworks enable the platform to establish mathematically valid relationships between controls, vulnerabilities, and threats.
How does Thrivaca use the Cyber Efficiency Index?
The Cyber Efficiency Index is used to measure results of the current cybersecurity program – budgets, people, processes and technologies combined.
The ratio between total annual spending on cybersecurity and the cost of risk it currently mitigates per year is shown as the Cyber Efficiency Index.
This shows the amount of Digital Risk that each dollar of cybersecurity spending/investment eliminates.
This Index, or ratio, commonly tends to be around a 7.00 to 7.50 range. In other words, “seven dollars of annualized Risk Cost is being taken off the table for every dollar we spend on cybersecurity.”
Most organizations use the Cyber Efficiency Index as a key metric, managing the cybersecurity budget/strategies/priorities to move this index higher over time.
How can I trust the ArxNimbus process?
The ArxNimbus Thrivaca data engine has several built-in elements that enhance its credibility and trustworthiness:
Academic Validation:
The methodology was developed in collaboration with respected academic institutions. The Impact Valuation Module was created with the University of Chicago's Department of Economics, while the Historical Probability Density Function was validated by Yale Medical School research. The actuarial model was created with the University of Illinois actuarial department. These academic partnerships provide independent validation of this approach.
NIST Approval (The GAAP of Cyber):
ArxNimbus has received explicit approval from NIST for this methodology. According to the document, "they are, to this point, the only ones in our industry group" with this formal recognition. This came after spending substantial time with NIST in Maryland to develop this approach to applying indicators to NIST control areas.
Empirical Rather Than Subjective:
The platform deliberately moves away from opinion-based assessments (described as "a little bit too much professional opinion, expert judgment driven") toward objective, data-driven measurements. The external scanning approach sees what attackers see rather than relying on self-reported questionnaires.
Transparent Methodology:
The process follows a clear, logical progression through distinct modules that each serve a specific function, from establishing baseline financial impact to measuring control effectiveness. This transparency in methodology makes the results more defensible.
Historical Data Foundation:
The risk calculations are based on extensive historical breach data from 22 primary sources, including well-respected reports like the Verizon Data Breach Investigation Report, FBI Internet Crime Report, and IBM Cost of Data Breach Report.
Extensive Market Coverage:
The library contains assessments of over 3,500 public companies across 580 industries, providing significant statistical power for the comparative analytics and benchmarking capabilities.
Track Record:
The documentation mentions that data has been flowing to Falcon/HDI for nearly a year, suggesting there has been time to evaluate the accuracy and utility of assessments in real-world applications.
These factors collectively build a strong case for trusting the ArxNimbus process, though, as with any risk model, results should be viewed as informed estimates rather than absolute predictions.
Want a live walkthrough of your digital risk exposure?
Schedule your 30-min demo with an ArxNimbus advisor.
How does Thrivaca fit it all together to provide business insight and value?
Thrivaca transforms technical security data into actionable business insights through:
- Financial quantification of risk exposure in dollar terms (Total Digital Risk)
- Clear visualization of remediation effectiveness (Remediated Risk)
- Insurance coverage assessment (Covered/Transferred Risk)
- Identification of remaining exposure (Residual/Net Risk Exposure)
- Industry benchmarking to contextualize performance (Context)
- Control optimization models showing where to invest for maximum risk reduction (Optimization)
- Cost-benefit analysis identifying the inflection point where insurance becomes more cost-effective than remediation (ROI)
- Solution/Scenario analysis showing the expected impact of specific security products or strategic scenarios (Digital Twin)
This comprehensive approach enables executives to make data-driven decisions about security investments and risk transfer strategies based on financial impact rather than technical complexity.
Can small businesses use ArxNimbus?
ArxNimbus Thrivaca™ gives any organization of any size a live, quantifiable risk profile (T-Score) with actionable intelligence to prioritize your action plan for:
- Reduced exposure
- Improved business continuity
- Alignment of IT and finance on what’s worth securing (and what’s not)
- Compliance with any regulatory requirements
It’s like a GPS for risk management—with clear financial guardrails.
High-risk industries should proactively seek this data-driven predictive modelling, such as:
- Financial Services
- Healthcare & Biopharma
- Higher Education
- Critical Infrastructure & Defense
Unfortunately, many SMBs think they're too small to hack when in reality, they're too small to recover. Why?
- No dedicated cyber staff
- No security budget
- Think “we’re not a target”
Request a non-jargon, non-pressure Cyber Risk Discovery Session to determine where you're vulnerable and how to fix it without blowing the budget.
How can the ArxNimbus process help reduce my cyber insurance premiums?
Most breaches result in losses that exceed coverage limits, with public companies reporting hundreds of millions in charges.
The ArxNimbus T-Score analyzer tracks your risk posture over time, giving you:
- Proof to negotiate lower premiums
- Visibility to fix issues before claims
- Confidence in coverage alignment
- See also:
7 Tips to Maximize Your Cyber Insurance
Understanding your risk profile is the first step before engaging in a new policy or renewal meeting.
Do you know your T-Score?
Schedule your 30-min demo with an ArxNimbus advisor.
Still have questions? Request a non-jargon, non-pressure Cyber Risk Discovery Session.
Top 10 cyber risk acronyms explained: CISOs, SOC, VPNs & more
1. CISO — Chief Information Security Officer1a. BISO — Business Information Security Officer |
Typically reports to the CIO, CTO, or even the CEO. Whereas the BISO role has emerged to bridge the gap between cybersecurity strategy and business execution. Responsibilities:
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2. SOC — Security Operations Center |
A centralized unit that handles security issues on an organizational and technical level. |
3. SIEM — Security Information and Event Management |
A platform that provides real-time analysis of security alerts generated by applications and network hardware. |
4. DLP — Data Loss Prevention |
A set of tools and strategies to prevent sensitive data from being lost, misused, or accessed by unauthorized users. |
5. APT — Advanced Persistent Threat |
A long-term targeted attack in which an unauthorized user gains access to a network and remains undetected. |
6. MFA — Multi-Factor Authentication |
A security system that requires more than one method of authentication to verify the user's identity. |
7. VPN — Virtual Private Network |
A service that encrypts your internet connection and hides your online activity to provide secure and private access to the web. |
8. Ransomware |
Malicious software designed to block access to a computer system until a sum of money is paid. |
9. IDS/IPS — Intrusion Detection System / Intrusion Prevention System |
Tools that monitor and analyze network traffic for suspicious activity and take actions to stop or alert administrators. |
10. BIA — Business Impact Analysis |
A process that identifies and evaluates the potential effects of disruptions to business operations as a result of cyber incidents or other crises. |
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