Method to transfer firmware level security indicators to OS level threat protection tools at runtime

1. An information handling system comprising:

a processor;

a memory coupled to the processor;

a storage resource; and

a basic input/output system (BIOS) configured to, while the information handling system is in a pre-boot environment and prior to initialization of an operating system of the information handling system:

receive, from an operating-system-level security management service, threat score information regarding potential security vulnerabilities;

in response to the threat score information, execute a security scan;

detect, by the security scan, a security vulnerability of the information handling system; and

store data regarding the security vulnerability in a portion of the storage resource that is accessible to both the BIOS and the operating system;

wherein the information handling system is further configured to, after the initialization of the operating system, execute the operating-system-level security management service to access, from within the operating system, the data regarding the security vulnerability.

2. The information handling system of claim 1 , wherein the portion of the storage resource is a Globally Unique Identifier Partition Table (GPT) partition.

3. The information handling system of claim 1 , wherein the portion of the storage resource is a Non-Volatile Memory Express (NVMe) namespace.

4. The information handling system of claim 1 , wherein the BIOS is a Unified Extensible Firmware Interface (UEFI) BIOS.

5. The information handling system of claim 1 , wherein the information handling system is further configured to receive, from a remote information handling system, mitigation information for the security vulnerability.

6. The information handling system of claim 5 , wherein the information handling system is further configured to implement a mitigation for the security vulnerability based on the mitigation information.

7. The information handling system of claim 6 , wherein the mitigation includes deploying a firmware update for at least one information handling resource of the information handling system.

8. The information handling system of claim 1 , wherein the operating-system-level security management service is configured to access the data regarding the security vulnerability via Advanced Configuration and Power Interface (ACPI) runtime services.

9. A method comprising:

while an information handling system is in a pre-boot environment and prior to initialization of an operating system of the information handling system:

a basic input/output system (BIOS) of the information handling system receiving, from an operating-system-level security management service, threat score information regarding potential security vulnerabilities;

in response to the threat score information, the BIOS executing a security scan;

the BIOS detecting a security vulnerability of the information handling system; and

the BIOS storing data regarding the security vulnerability in a portion of the storage resource that is accessible to both the BIOS and the operating system; and

after the initialization of the operating system, the operating-system-level security management service of the information handling system accessing, from within the operating system, the data regarding the security vulnerability.

10. The method of claim 9 , further comprising receiving, from a remote information handling system, mitigation information for the security vulnerability.

11. The method of claim 9 , further comprising the BIOS implementing a mitigation of the security vulnerability prior to the initialization of the operating system.

12. The method of claim 11 , further comprising the BIOS preventing the initialization of the operating system until after the implementation of the mitigation.

13. An article of manufacture comprising a non-transitory, computer-readable medium having computer-executable code thereon that is executable by a processor of an information handling system for:

while the information handling system is in a pre-boot environment and prior to initialization of an operating system of the information handling system:

a basic input/output system (BIOS) of the information handling system receiving, from an operating-system-level security management service, threat score information regarding potential security vulnerabilities;

in response to the threat score information, the BIOS executing a security scan;

the BIOS detecting a security vulnerability of the information handling system; and

the BIOS storing data regarding the security vulnerability in a portion of the storage resource that is accessible to both the BIOS and the operating system; and

after the initialization of the operating system, the operating-system-level security management service of the information handling system accessing, from within the operating system, the data regarding the security vulnerability.

14. The article of claim 13 , wherein the portion of the storage resource is a Globally Unique Identifier Partition Table (GPT) partition.

15. The article of claim 13 , wherein the portion of the storage resource is a Non-Volatile Memory Express (NVMe) namespace.

16. The article of claim 13 , wherein the BIOS is a Unified Extensible Firmware Interface (UEFI) BIOS.

17. The article of claim 13 , wherein the instructions are further for receiving, from a remote information handling system, mitigation information for the security vulnerability.

18. The article of claim 17 , wherein the instructions are further for implementing a mitigation for the security vulnerability based on the mitigation information.

19. The article of claim 18 , wherein the mitigation includes deploying a firmware update for at least one information handling resource of the information handling system.

20. The article of claim 13 , wherein the operating-system-level security management service is configured to access the data regarding the security vulnerability via Advanced Configuration and Power Interface (ACPI) runtime services.