Prioritization and escalation are fundamental steps in vulnerability response and management. Using the risk management principles to assess the level of threat posed by each vulnerability is the best way to prioritize them, as it takes into account their potential impact on the organization and regulatory requirements. Patch requirement is an important consideration, but it should be assessed after determining the risk level. Scope of impact is part of the risk assessment rather than the first step. Asset criticality is only one aspect of the risk and does not provide a complete prioritization on its own.