What step should be completed next after the asset assessment step of the risk management process?

After completing the asset assessment step in the risk management process, the next logical step is to conduct a threat assessment. This step is critical as it involves identifying and evaluating potential threats that could exploit vulnerabilities within the assessed assets. The threat assessment focuses on understanding the nature of these threats, their sources, and the potential impact they may have on the assets and overall security posture.

Identifying threats is essential to prioritize and inform subsequent stages of the risk management process, such as vulnerability assessments and ultimately determining appropriate countermeasures. Without a clear understanding of the threats, organizations may struggle to create effective strategies to mitigate risks, as they would lack a focused approach to address specific vulnerabilities associated with identified threats.

This step sets the foundation for analyzing how likely these threats are to occur and their potential consequences, thus supporting decision-making for security enhancements.