What occurs during the 'Authorize' step in the risk management process?

During the 'Authorize' step in the risk management process, a risk-based decision is made to allow system operation. This step is crucial because it signifies the point at which an authoritative figure or entity reviews the risks associated with a system after the necessary assessments and evaluates whether those risks fall within acceptable levels for the organization.

By making this decision, the authorizing agent effectively grants permission for the system to be operational, acknowledging the existing risks while also balancing them against the organization's mission and objectives. This step often involves formalizing the acceptance of residual risks after implementing any mitigating controls deemed necessary.

In this context, the focus is on the decision-making aspect that enables the system to function within the established risk tolerance framework, rather than activities such as categorization, control selection, or risk monitoring, which occur in other stages of the risk management process.