For years, "continuous monitoring" in cybersecurity lacked a clear definition, forcing improvised security practices. This paper introduces QUARC, a formal model that quantifies cybersecurity risk and links it to precise detection and response times. QUARC provides a robust, weight‑free probabilistic risk function, translating this risk into concrete operational cadences using hazard and queue theories. This model offers a universal standard, allowing regulators to enforce testable compliance, security teams to monitor real‑time conformance, and insurers to price risk accurately. QUARC transforms a vague policy into a measurable, enforceable reality, closing a critical loophole exploited by attackers.