Preboot security data update

1. A method of providing computer security including:

establishing a connection from a computing system to a network;

receiving, in response to detection of the connection by a server, a network address and a bootstrap program identifier at the computing system via the network;

downloading, automatically, a bootstrap program associated with the bootstrap program identifier and the network address;

receiving a pre-operating system at the computing system via the network by the bootstrap program, the pre-operating system selected automatically by the server based on a type of the computing system;

booting the computing system into a pre-operating system environment using the received pre-operating system;

performing a security check of the computing system, using the pre-operating system environment, to ensure conformity with a security requirement received from a repository external to the computing system;

using the pre-operating system environment to provide to the computing system a current security data that is stored in and received from an external repository that is not part of the pre-operating system environment or a primary operating system environment of the computing system, wherein the security data is based on a plurality of factors including a type of the computing system;

rendering the computing system more secure with respect to a vulnerability associated with the primary operating system environment using the security data based at least in part on the security check, wherein rendering the computing system more secure comprises configuring using the pre-operating system environment, a firewall of the primary operating system;

providing validation of the conformity with the security requirement using the pre-operating system environment, wherein validation comprises a credential checked by the network during an attempt by the computer system to connect to the network; and

booting the computing system into an operating system environment other than the pre-operating system environment.

2. The method as recited in claim 1 further including using the pre-operating system environment to replace outdated security data on the computing system with the current security data.

3. The method as recited in claim 1 , wherein the current security data includes a signature, a definition, a firewall setting of an internet browser of the computing system, a firewall setting of an email application of the computing system and one or more of the following: an application; a rule; and a setting.

4. The method as recited in claim 1 , wherein (1) booting the computing system into a pre-operating system environment and (2) using the pre-operating system environment to provide current security data to the computing system are performed in connection with initial deployment of the computing system in a network environment.

5. The method as recited in claim 1 , wherein the computing system is booted via a network into a pre-operating system environment by a device other than the computing system.

6. The method as recited in claim 1 further including:

creating an image; and

installing the image on the computing system;

wherein the current security data comprises an update to a local security data associated with the image.

7. The method as recited in claim 1 , wherein the current security data is provided via a network.

8. The method as recited in claim 1 , wherein the current security data is provided on a removable media.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the pre-operating system environment and the primary operating system environment of the computing system comprise separate operating system installations on the computing system.

10. The method of claim 1 , wherein the computing system comprises at least one of: a storage device, a digital video recorder, and a router.

11. A method for providing end point compliance, comprising:

establishing a connection from a computing system to a a network;

receiving, in response to detection of the connection by a server, a network address and a bootstrap program identifier at the computing system via the network;

downloading, automatically, a bootstrap program associated with the bootstrap program identifier and the network address;

receiving a pre-operating system at the computing system via the network by the bootstrap program, the pre-operating system selected automatically by the server based on type of the computing system;

booting the computing system into a pre-operating system environment using the received pre-operating system;

using the pre-operating system environment to perform a security check of the computing system to ensure it conforms with a security requirement stored in and received from an external repository that is not part of the pre-operating system environment or the operating system environment, wherein the security requirement is based on a plurality of factors including a type of the computing system;

rendering the computing system more secure with respect to a vulnerability associated with the primary operating system environment using the security requirement, wherein rendering the computing system more secure comprises configuring, using the pre-operating system environment, a firewall of the primary operating system of the computing system;

providing validation of the conformity with the security requirement using the pre-operating system environment, wherein validation comprises a credential checked by the network during an attempt by the computer system to connect to the network; and

determining based at least in part on the security check whether to boot the computing system into an operating system environment other than the pre-operating system environment.

12. The method as recited in claim 11 , further comprising using the pre-operating system environment, prior to the computing system being booted into the operating system environment other than the pre-operating system environment, to modify the computing system as required to conform to the requirement in the event the security check indicates the computing system does not conform to the security requirement.

13. A system for providing computer security including:

a processor configured to:

establish a connection from a computing system to a network;

receive, in response to detection of the connection by a server, a network address and a bootstrap program identifier at the computing system via the network;

download, automatically, a bootstrap program associated with the bootstrap program identifier and the network address;

receive a pre-operating system at the computing system via the network, the pre-operating system selected automatically by the server based on a type of the computing system;

boot the computing system into a pre operating system environment using the received pre-operating system;

use the pre-operating system environment to perform a security check of the computing system to ensure conformity with a security requirement received from a repository remote from the computing system;

use the pre-operating system environment to install onto the computing system a current security data stored in and received from the remote repository based at least in part on the security check, wherein the security data renders the computing system more secure with respect to a vulnerability associated with the primary operating system environment, rendering the computing system more secure comprising configuring, using the pre-operating system environment, a firewall of the primary operating system, wherein the security data is based on a plurality of factors including a type of the computing system; and

boot the computing system into an operating system environment other than the pre-operating system environment; and

an interface coupled to the processor and configured to use the pre-operating system environment to obtain the current security data from the remote repository, wherein the interface is further configured to provide validation of the conformity with the security requirement, the validation comprising a credential checked by the network during an attempt by the computer system to connect to the network.

14. The system as recited in claim 13 , wherein the current security data includes a definition and one or more of the following: an application; a rule; a setting; and

a signature.

15. The system as recited in claim 13 , wherein the computing system has access to a network in the pre operating system environment.

16. The system as recited in claim 13 , wherein (1) booting the computing system into a pre-operating system environment and (2) using the pre-operating system environment to provide current security data to the computing system are performed in connection with initial deployment of the computing system in a network environment.

17. The system as recited in claim 13 , wherein the computing system is booted via a network into a pre-operating system environment by a device other than the computing system.

18. The system as recited in claim 13 , wherein the current security data is provided via a network.

19. The system of claim 13 , wherein the pre-operating system environment and the primary operating system environment of the computing system comprise separate operating system installations on the computing system.

20. A computer program product for providing computer security, the computer program product being embodied in a non-transitory computer readable storage medium and comprising computer instructions which, when executed, cause a computer to:

establish a connection from a computing system to a network;

receive, in response to detection of the connection by a server, a network address and a bootstrap program identifier at the computing system via the network;

download, automatically, a bootstrap program associated with the bootstrap program identifier and the network address;

receive a pre-operating system at the computing system via the network, the pre-operating system selected automatically by the server based on a type of the computing system;

boot the computing system into a pre-operating system environment using the received pre-operating system;

use the pre-operating system environment to perform a security check of the computing system to ensure conformity with a security requirement received from a repository external to the computing system;

use the pre-operating system environment to provide to the computing system a current security data stored in and received from the external repository based at least in part on the security check, wherein the security data renders the computer system more secure with respect to a vulnerability associated with the primary operating system environment, rendering the computing system more secure comprising configuring, using the pre-operating system environment, a firewall of the primary operating system wherein the security data is based on a plurality of factors including a type of the computing system;

provide validation of the conformity with the security requirement using the pre-operating system environment, wherein validation comprises a credential checked by the network during an attempt by the computer system to connect to the network; and

boot the computing system into an operating system environment other than the pre-operating system environment.

21. The computer program product as recited in claim 20 , wherein the current security data includes a signature and one or more of the following: an application; a rule; a setting; and a definition.

22. The computer program product as recited in claim 20 , wherein the computing system has access to a network in the pre-operating system environment.

23. The computer program product as recited in claim 20 , wherein (1) booting the computing system into a pre operating system environment and (2) using the pre-operating system environment to provide current security data to the computing system are performed in connection with initial deployment of the computing system in a network environment.

24. The computer program product as recited in claim 20 , wherein the computing system is booted via a network into a pre-operating system environment by a device other than the computing system.

25. The computer program product as recited in claim 20 , wherein the current security data is provided via a network.