Threat mitigation system and method

1. A computer-implemented method, executed on a computing device, comprising: obtaining hardware performance information concerning hardware deployed within a computing platform, wherein the hardware performance information is continuously obtained; obtaining platform performance information concerning the operation of the computing platform, wherein the platform performance information is continuously obtained, including: obtaining system-defined consolidated platform information for the computing platform from an independent information source, the system-defined consolidated platform information defining the security-relevant subsystems present on the computing platform; obtaining client-defined consolidated platform information for the computing platform from a client information source, the client-defined consolidated platform information defining the security-relevant subsystems that the client believes are present on the computing platform; obtaining application performance information concerning one or more applications deployed within the computing platform, wherein the application performance information is continuously obtained; and generating a holistic platform report concerning the computing platform based, at least in part, upon the continuously obtained hardware performance information, the platform performance information and the application performance information; and

wherein the holistic platform report identifies one or more known conditions concerning the computing platform, the computer-implemented method further comprising: effectuating one or more remedial operations concerning the one or more known conditions.

2. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 further comprising:

providing the holistic report to a third-party.

3. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 wherein the hardware performance information concerns the operation and/or functionality of one or more hardware systems deployed within the computing platform.

4. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 wherein the platform performance information concerns the operation and/or functionality of the computing platform.

5. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 wherein obtaining platform performance information concerning the operation of the computing platform includes:

obtaining the system-defined consolidated platform information for the computing platform from the independent information source;

obtaining the client-defined consolidated platform information for the computing platform from the client information source; and

presenting differential consolidated platform information for the computing platform to a third-party.

6. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 wherein obtaining platform performance information concerning the operation of the computing platform includes:

obtaining consolidated platform information for the computing platform to identify one or more deployed security-relevant subsystems;

processing the consolidated platform information to identify one or more non-deployed security-relevant subsystems;

generating a list of ranked & recommended security-relevant subsystems that ranks the one or more non-deployed security-relevant subsystems; and

providing the list of ranked & recommended security-relevant subsystems to a third-party.

7. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 wherein obtaining platform performance information concerning the operation of the computing platform includes:

obtaining consolidated platform information to identify current security-relevant capabilities for the computing platform;

determining possible security-relevant capabilities for the computing platform; and

generating comparison information that compares the current security-relevant capabilities of the computing platform to the possible security-relevant capabilities of the computing platform to identify security-relevant deficiencies.

8. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 wherein obtaining platform performance information concerning the operation of the computing platform includes:

obtaining consolidated platform information to identify current security-relevant capabilities for the computing platform;

determining comparative platform information that identifies security-relevant capabilities for a comparative platform; and

generating comparison information that compares the current security-relevant capabilities of the computing platform to the comparative platform information of the comparative platform to identify a threat context indicator.

9. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 wherein the application performance information concerns the operation and/or functionality of one or more software applications deployed within the computing platform.

10. A computer program product residing on a non-transitory computer readable storage medium having a plurality of instructions stored thereon which, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to perform operations comprising: obtaining hardware performance information concerning hardware deployed within a computing platform, wherein the hardware performance information is continuously obtained; obtaining platform performance information concerning the operation of the computing platform, wherein the platform performance information is continuously obtained, including: obtaining system-defined consolidated platform information for the computing platform from an independent information source, the system-defined consolidated platform information defining the security-relevant subsystems present on the computing platform; obtaining client-defined consolidated platform information for the computing platform from a client information source, the client-defined consolidated platform information defining the security-relevant subsystems that the client believes are present on the computing platform; obtaining application performance information concerning one or more applications deployed within the computing platform, wherein the application performance information is continuously obtained; and generating a holistic platform report concerning the computing platform based, at least in part, upon the continuously obtained hardware performance information, the platform performance information and the application performance information; and

wherein the holistic platform report identifies one or more known conditions concerning the computing platform, the computer-implemented method further comprising: effectuating one or more remedial operations concerning the one or more known conditions.

11. The computer program product of claim 10 further comprising:

providing the holistic report to a third-party.

12. The computer program product of claim 10 wherein the hardware performance information concerns the operation and/or functionality of one or more hardware systems deployed within the computing platform.

13. The computer program product of claim 10 wherein the platform performance information concerns the operation and/or functionality of the computing platform.

14. The computer program product of claim 10 wherein obtaining platform performance information concerning the operation of the computing platform includes:

obtaining the system-defined consolidated platform information for the computing platform from the independent information source;

obtaining the client-defined consolidated platform information for the computing platform from the client information source; and

presenting differential consolidated platform information for the computing platform to a third-party.

15. The computer program product of claim 10 wherein obtaining platform performance information concerning the operation of the computing platform includes:

obtaining consolidated platform information for the computing platform to identify one or more deployed security-relevant subsystems;

processing the consolidated platform information to identify one or more non-deployed security-relevant subsystems;

generating a list of ranked & recommended security-relevant subsystems that ranks the one or more non-deployed security-relevant subsystems; and

providing the list of ranked & recommended security-relevant subsystems to a third-party.

16. The computer program product of claim 10 wherein obtaining platform performance information concerning the operation of the computing platform includes:

obtaining consolidated platform information to identify current security-relevant capabilities for the computing platform;

determining possible security-relevant capabilities for the computing platform; and

generating comparison information that compares the current security-relevant capabilities of the computing platform to the possible security-relevant capabilities of the computing platform to identify security-relevant deficiencies.

17. The computer program product of claim 10 wherein obtaining platform performance information concerning the operation of the computing platform includes:

obtaining consolidated platform information to identify current security-relevant capabilities for the computing platform;

determining comparative platform information that identifies security-relevant capabilities for a comparative platform; and

generating comparison information that compares the current security-relevant capabilities of the computing platform to the comparative platform information of the comparative platform to identify a threat context indicator.

18. The computer program product of claim 10 wherein the application performance information concerns the operation and/or functionality of one or more software applications deployed within the computing platform.

19. A computing system including a processor and memory configured to perform operations comprising: obtaining hardware performance information concerning hardware deployed within a computing platform, wherein the hardware performance information is continuously obtained; obtaining platform performance information concerning the operation of the computing platform, wherein the platform performance information is continuously obtained, including: obtaining system-defined consolidated platform information for the computing platform from an independent information source, the system-defined consolidated platform information defining the security-relevant subsystems present on the computing platform; obtaining client-defined consolidated platform information for the computing platform from a client information source, the client-defined consolidated platform information defining the security-relevant subsystems that the client believes are present on the computing platform; obtaining application performance information concerning one or more applications deployed within the computing platform, wherein the application performance information is continuously obtained; and generating a holistic platform report concerning the computing platform based, at least in part, upon the continuously obtained hardware performance information, the platform performance information and the application performance information; and

wherein the holistic platform report identifies one or more known conditions concerning the computing platform, the computer-implemented method further comprising: effectuating one or more remedial operations concerning the one or more known conditions.

20. The computing system of claim 19 further comprising:

providing the holistic report to a third-party.

21. The computing system of claim 19 wherein the hardware performance information concerns the operation and/or functionality of one or more hardware systems deployed within the computing platform.

22. The computing system of claim 19 wherein the platform performance information concerns the operation and/or functionality of the computing platform.

23. The computing system of claim 19 wherein obtaining platform performance information concerning the operation of the computing platform includes:

obtaining the system-defined consolidated platform information for the computing platform from the independent information source;

obtaining the client-defined consolidated platform information for the computing platform from the client information source; and

presenting differential consolidated platform information for the computing platform to a third-party.

24. The computing system of claim 19 wherein obtaining platform performance information concerning the operation of the computing platform includes:

obtaining consolidated platform information for the computing platform to identify one or more deployed security-relevant subsystems;

processing the consolidated platform information to identify one or more non-deployed security-relevant subsystems;

generating a list of ranked & recommended security-relevant subsystems that ranks the one or more non-deployed security-relevant subsystems; and

providing the list of ranked & recommended security-relevant subsystems to a third-party.

25. The computing system of claim 19 wherein obtaining platform performance information concerning the operation of the computing platform includes:

obtaining consolidated platform information to identify current security-relevant capabilities for the computing platform;

determining possible security-relevant capabilities for the computing platform; and

generating comparison information that compares the current security-relevant capabilities of the computing platform to the possible security-relevant capabilities of the computing platform to identify security-relevant deficiencies.

26. The computing system of claim 19 wherein obtaining platform performance information concerning the operation of the computing platform includes:

obtaining consolidated platform information to identify current security-relevant capabilities for the computing platform;

determining comparative platform information that identifies security-relevant capabilities for a comparative platform; and

generating comparison information that compares the current security-relevant capabilities of the computing platform to the comparative platform information of the comparative platform to identify a threat context indicator.

27. The computing system of claim 19 wherein the application performance information concerns the operation and/or functionality of one or more software applications deployed within the computing platform.