---
title: "Improving Decisions with DecipherRisk™️ Cost-Benefit Analysis (Scenario Cloning and Comparisons Features)"
url: "https://help.decipherrisk.com/en/article/improving-decisions-with-decipherrisk-cost-benefit-analysis-scenario-cloning-and-comparisons-features"
language: "en"
last_updated: "2023-01-17T20:25:53.614Z"
---

# Improving Decisions with DecipherRisk™️ Cost-Benefit Analysis (Scenario Cloning and Comparisons Features)

**Improving Decisions with DecipherRisk™️ Cost-Benefit Analysis (Scenario Cloning and Comparisons Features)**

![](https://s3.amazonaws.com/cdn.freshdesk.com/data/helpdesk/attachments/production/16086274737/original/-ZtzG-NCrYBVUnfvvn_ulXOJAjjSkXXV-g.png?1653299914)For many leaders, the [cost-benefit analysis](https://online.hbs.edu/blog/post/cost-benefit-analysis) is an invaluable tool for making investment and budget decisions. It gives leaders a process to assess the tangible and intangible costs and benefits associated with a given project/solution and provides a more objective and defensible decision framework. 

For risk managers and cyber security teams, performing a cost-benefit analysis on a risk mitigation solution is nearly impossible unless you are using a quantitative risk analysis method like Open FAIR™️. Using quantitative risk analysis allows side-by-side comparison of two or more risk scenarios, the "AS-IS" scenario before the control is applied (aka inherent risk), and the "TO-BE" scenario after the control is applied (aka residual risk).

## Cost-Benefit Analysis with DecipherRisk™️

DecipherRisk™️ includes two features that have made cost-benefit analysis easier than ever. The first is the **Cloning** feature that gives users the ability to make an identical copy of a risk scenario in seconds. The second is the **Comparisons** feature, which gives users the ability to quickly compare up to three scenarios or Scenario Portfolios in just a few mouse clicks. 

Details on how to use both of these features are below.

* * *

## DecipherRisk™️ Cloning Feature

### Overview

With the DecipherRisk™️ Cloning feature, a risk analyst can make an exact copy of a scenario. This can save a significant amount of time when doing a cost-benefit or any other type of comparative analysis. To do this, the analyst creates the AS-IS (inherent) risk scenario. Then instead of having to create the TO-BE (residual) risk scenario from scratch, they would simply clone and edit the AS-IS scenario. 

As an example, if a risk analyst is performing a cost-benefit analysis on a new proposed IT security system that would reduce the organization's vulnerability to a specific cyberattack, the analyst would complete the AS-IS scenario, clone it to create the TO-BE scenario, and modify the TO-BE scenario's Open FAIR™️ Vulnerability value (e.g. reduce it from 20% to 5%) and associated assumptions/rational.

To create a clone of a risk scenario:

-   Open the scenario you want to clone. 
-   Select the "Clone Risk Scenario" button in the upper right-hand corner of the screen. (see Figure 1)

![](https://s3.amazonaws.com/cdn.freshdesk.com/data/helpdesk/attachments/production/16086248599/original/UvboC_2tqDi4tiK00uFCnyYNG38zePdxJA.png?1653220909)

Figure 1 - Scenario clone

-   Edit the Title of the clone (by default, the clone will have the same name with "clone" appended to the end. (see Figure 2)

![](https://s3.amazonaws.com/cdn.freshdesk.com/data/helpdesk/attachments/production/16086248625/original/2YzEzI4DtOldvs_n2Jk_KP9ilnGcrYBEXQ.png?1653221246)

Figure 2 - Clone Title Edit

* * *

## DecipherRisk™️ Comparison Feature

### Overview

The DecipherRisk™️ Comparison feature allows for up to three risk scenarios (and/or risk Portfolios) to be compared side-by-side.  As part of a cost-benefit analysis, this gives an analyst a way to describe and quantify the benefit (risk reduction) associated with a given risk treatment strategy (e.g. applying a new mitigative control).

### Instructions

To compare risk scenarios:

-   Select the scenarios you want to compare (up to three) by placing a check in the check box on the risk register (see Figure 3).

![](https://s3.amazonaws.com/cdn.freshdesk.com/data/helpdesk/attachments/production/16086249300/original/BTmjcLfU0kL7w-Q7JEqxRjBLE0AZidvkxA.png?1653224777)

Figure 3 - Risk register scenario selection

-   When you select the first scenario, a modal window will appear with two options - Compare and Modify (see Figure 4).

![](https://s3.amazonaws.com/cdn.freshdesk.com/data/helpdesk/attachments/production/16086249280/original/uYOA-ruTKK9956p5uis54YkvJQMJ-NnbPA.png?1653224591)

Figure 4 - Risk scenario Compare feature

-   After selecting the scenarios you want to compare, select the Compare button on the modal window (see Figure 5).

![](https://s3.amazonaws.com/cdn.freshdesk.com/data/helpdesk/attachments/production/16086249696/original/3I-j8pso-LxccMHV0l8ZqMlbSRAnZzWODQ.png?1653227361)

Figure 5 - Create Compare modal window

-   Enter information in the fields related to the comparison.

1.  Title
2.  Description for the comparison
3.  Acceptable loss threshold\* 
4.  Description for each of the selected scenarios

-   Hit submit

\* This is a Value at Risk (VaR) that you can specify. The comparison will provide a probability that each scenario being compared will exceed the VaR. (see Figure 6)  
![](https://s3.amazonaws.com/cdn.freshdesk.com/data/helpdesk/attachments/production/16086250531/original/aOBl2-lOkhhEuDX9QqbukceqTBBaruyEKA.png?1653232566)

Figure 6 - Acceptable Loss Threshold - Value at Risk

-   A new comparison will be created (see Figure 7).

![](https://s3.amazonaws.com/cdn.freshdesk.com/data/helpdesk/attachments/production/16086249709/original/fM6LBs_eVATIocgUw5GBCcQOetS_8-nwjA.png?1653227445)

Figure 7 - Comparison visualizations

-   The new comparison will show up in the Comparisons register in the Risk module (see Figure 8).

![](https://s3.amazonaws.com/cdn.freshdesk.com/data/helpdesk/attachments/production/16086249726/original/JGUbqR2peii3QhQLUycM63WPP5hrC2t8eA.png?1653227561)

Figure 8 - Comparisons register

-   To edit the Comparison details or the percentiles displayed in the comparison view, select Modify Comparison or Modify Percentiles button from within the Comparison window (see Figure 9).

![](https://s3.amazonaws.com/cdn.freshdesk.com/data/helpdesk/attachments/production/16086249991/original/eOPPb_UjegJv7A6dBp8l2cTTgonHflw4dQ.png?1653229256)

Figure 9 - Modify Comparison information and Percentiles displayed