What step is included in the SANS Institute's threat modeling and risk analysis process?

The step included in the SANS Institute's threat modeling and risk analysis process is to brainstorm threats from adversaries. This activity plays a crucial role in identifying potential vulnerabilities within a system or application by considering various potential adversaries and the tactics they might use. By engaging in brainstorming sessions, teams can explore multiple threat vectors and enhance their understanding of how real-world attackers may exploit weaknesses, which is essential for developing a proactive security strategy.

In the context of threat modeling, this step helps to create a comprehensive view of security risks, allowing organizations to prioritize their security efforts effectively. This proactive threat identification leads to the establishment of appropriate security controls and mitigation strategies to reduce risks.

While threat assessment is part of the overall process, it often follows initial brainstorming and is based on the threats identified during these sessions. Conducting a BSIMM (Building Security In Maturity Model) assessment and demonstrating improvement, though relevant to security practices, are not specific steps in the SANS threat modeling process. They focus more on measuring maturity and progress in secure software development rather than the initial identification of threats, which is why brainstorming threats from adversaries is the fundamental step in this context.