In order for a loss event to occur, what must act upon an asset?

For a loss event to occur, it is essential for a threat agent to act upon an asset. A threat agent refers to any entity or factor that has the capability to exploit a vulnerability, thereby initiating a potential loss event. This could include various elements, such as hackers, malicious software, natural disasters, or even human error.

The presence of a threat agent is what creates the possibility that an asset, such as data, systems, or physical property, can be compromised. Without this active threat, there is no scenario in which a loss event can take place because there is nothing influencing the asset's stability or integrity.

In contrast, stakeholders or loss flows do not trigger the potential for loss on their own. Primary and secondary stakeholders may be impacted by the loss but do not initiate it. Similarly, loss flows are part of the analysis to understand how losses happen, but they do not act upon an asset directly. Therefore, the identification of a threat agent is a critical component in understanding the dynamics of risk and loss events in the context of FAIR methodology.