Final answer:
The Department of Homeland Security defines threat assessment as identifying or evaluating potential harm to life, information, operations, and/or property, which directly corresponds to option c. It includes both domestic and international terrorism threats to the nation's security.
Step-by-step explanation:
According to the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), threat assessment is a process that involves identifying or evaluating entities, actions, or occurrences that have or indicate the potential to harm life, information, operations, and/or property. Therefore, the correct answer to the question is:
c. Have or indicate the potential to harm life, information, operations, and/or property.
Terrorism is one of the significant concerns in this context, whether it is domestic terrorism, which targets the U.S. government or its people from within, or international terrorism committed by foreign groups. The DHS was established in response to the increasing scope of threats, including those from non-state actors like terrorist groups, and to address weaknesses in the existing security apparatus, as shown after the 9/11 attacks and the issues highlighted by the response to Hurricane Katrina. While the DHS focuses on a broad range of security concerns, its foremost aim is to protect the United States and its citizens.