Abstract: According to an aspect a low noise electronic voltage regulator comprises a regulating transistor operative to regulate an input DC voltage to provide a regulated DC output voltage, an error amplifier configured to generate an error signal based on a reference voltage and a feedback voltage, wherein the error amplifier receiving the feedback voltage through a feedback loop formed between the regulated DC output voltage and the feedback voltage, and a first amplifier in the feedback loop providing a gain of greater than unity from the regulated DC output voltage and the feedback voltage.

Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for supporting use of system BIOS components (e.g., such as BIOS debug messages, debugger firmware, UEFI drivers, etc.) that are stored separately from the remainder of system BIOS firmware for an information handling system. The system BIOS components may represent only a portion of the total BIOS firmware, and may be selectively retrieved and loaded from the separate storage into system memory when needed by the system BIOS for operating purposes (e.g., such as debugging operations).

Abstract: SPI firmware updates can be performed at runtime. A secure SPI flash access domain can be created during pre-boot and used at runtime to deliver and write a SPI firmware update to SPI flash. The secure SPI flash access domain can ensure that only a trusted component running on a trusted CPU core can access a SPI memory layout used to deploy the SPI firmware update to the SPI flash. Once the SPI firmware update is written to the SPI flash, a reboot can be triggered so that the updated SPI firmware is loaded to perform the boot process.

Abstract: A method for deploying an information handling system (platform) determines whether a hardware key coupled to the platform constitutes a deployment key by validating a GUID of the key against a deployment key signature, generated by a trusted server and stored on the key. If the key is validated, a trust factor evaluation is performed by validating the deployment key against a second key, which is bound to a nonvolatile storage component containing a second key signature, generated by the trusted server based on a GUID of the nonvolatile storage component. Upon validating the trust factor, the platform boots into an unattended deployment mode loaded from the deployment key and validates an unattended deployment binary stored in the deployment key against the second key signature to establish a trusted execution session for loading unattended deployment modules from the deployment key and deploying the platform by executing the unattended deployment modules.

Abstract: The disclosed embodiments provide a system for processing data. During operation, the system identifies content shared within an online system and interactions between users of the online system and the content that match behavioral criteria and content-based criteria in a set of rules. Next, the system aggregates the content and the interactions into trends in the content and the interactions, predictions associated with the content and the interactions, and recommendations for moderating the content and the interactions. The system then outputs representations of the trends, the predictions, and the recommendations in a user interface. Finally, the system receives, via the user interface, an action to be performed on a subset of the content and updates sharing of the content within the online system based on the action.

Abstract: According to an aspect a low noise electronic voltage regulator comprises a regulating transistor operative to regulate an input DC voltage to provide a regulated DC output voltage, an error amplifier configured to generate an error signal based on a reference voltage and a feedback voltage, wherein the error amplifier receiving the feedback voltage through a feedback loop formed between the regulated DC output voltage and the feedback voltage, and a first amplifier in the feedback loop providing a gain of greater than unity from the regulated DC output voltage and the feedback voltage.

Abstract: An information handling system may include at least one processor, a memory coupled to the at least one processor, and an information handling resource including a firmware. The information handling system may be configured to: boot into an operating system stored on the memory; after booting into the operating system, receive, from at least one remote server, information regarding a vulnerability associated with the firmware; based on a security policy, determine a resolution for mitigation of the vulnerability; and store information regarding the resolution in a storage location accessible to a preboot environment of the information handling system, wherein the preboot environment is configured to apply the resolution upon a subsequent boot of the information handling system.

Abstract: An information handling system may include a processor and a basic input/output system communicatively coupled to the processor and comprising a plurality of firmware volumes embodied in non-transitory computer readable media, each firmware volume comprising executable code for a respective functionality of the basic input/output system, wherein the basic input/output system is configured to, based on the presence or absence of an action or event associated with the basic input/output system, select a boot path for execution from a plurality of boot paths, each of the plurality of boot paths comprising a respective trust chain of a subset of the plurality of firmware volumes and execute the boot path selected.

Abstract: An information handling system may load first data from a location information area of a first memory, specifying a plurality of locations of metadata for a plurality of stages of basic input/output system (BIOS) initialization. The information handling system may then load first metadata for a first stage of BIOS initialization from a first metadata location of the plurality of locations specified by the first data. The first metadata may contain information for indexing first initialization data located at a first initialization data location. The information handling system may then index the first initialization data of the first initialization data location based, at least in part, on the first metadata. The information handling system may then perform the first stage of BIOS initialization based, at least in part, on the first initialization data.

Abstract: The disclosed embodiments provide a system for processing data. During operation, the system identifies content shared within an online system and interactions between users of the online system and the content that match behavioral criteria and content-based criteria in a set of rules. Next, the system aggregates the content and the interactions into trends in the content and the interactions, predictions associated with the content and the interactions, and recommendations for moderating the content and the interactions. The system then outputs representations of the trends, the predictions, and the recommendations in a user interface. Finally, the system receives, via the user interface, an action to be performed on a subset of the content and updates sharing of the content within the online system based on the action.

Abstract: An information handling system may include a processor and a basic input/output system communicatively coupled to the processor and comprising a plurality of firmware volumes embodied in non-transitory computer readable media, each firmware volume comprising executable code for a respective functionality of the basic input/output system, wherein the basic input/output system is configured to, based on the presence or absence of an action or event associated with the basic input/output system, select a boot path for execution from a plurality of boot paths, each of the plurality of boot paths comprising a respective trust chain of a subset of the plurality of firmware volumes and execute the boot path selected.

Abstract: An information handling system may include at least one processor, and a computer-readable medium having instructions thereon that are executable by the at least one processor. The instructions may be executable for: in response to detection of a first trigger event, enabling an accelerated boot process; and in response to detection of a second, different trigger event, enabling a non-accelerated boot process. The non-accelerated boot process may include parsing an internal forms representation (IFR), and the accelerated boot process may include not parsing the IFR.

Abstract: An information handling system may include at least one processor, an information handling resource including a firmware, and a memory having an initial identifier stored therein. The information handling system may receive a first firmware update package specifying the initial identifier, wherein the first firmware update package includes therein an intermediate identifier different from the initial identifier; based on the first firmware update package specifying the initial identifier, update the firmware with contents of the first firmware update package, and update the initial identifier in the memory with the intermediate identifier; receive a second firmware update package specifying the intermediate identifier; and based on the second firmware update package specifying the intermediate identifier, update the firmware with contents of the second firmware update package.

Abstract: Systems and methods to stage firmware capsule package for an external device in a firmware client system. The firmware client system may include a basic input/output system (BIOS) and an operating system (OS). The BIOS may create a virtual device. The OS may download a virtual device driver package associated with the virtual device from an update service. The virtual device driver package may include a first virtual device driver and a first external device firmware. The OS may also install the first virtual device driver of the virtual device driver package, stage the first external device firmware on a storage device, and execute the first virtual device driver. The first virtual device driver may, when a first external device associated with the first external device firmware is available, deliver the first external device firmware to the first external device using an update firmware mechanism.

Abstract: Upon detection of a change in resolution from a first resolution to a second resolution, one or more user interface elements may be dynamically scaled based, at least in part, on the detected change in resolution. The user interface elements may be dynamically scaled in such a way as to maintain an aspect ratio of each of the user interface elements while adjusting a resolution of each of the user interface elements to the second resolution. After the user interface elements are dynamically scaled, a user interface, at the second resolution, may be presented on a display of an information handling system.

Abstract: An information handling system may include at least one processor, an information handling resource including a firmware, and a memory having an initial identifier stored therein. The information handling system may receive a first firmware update package specifying the initial identifier, wherein the first firmware update package includes therein an intermediate identifier different from the initial identifier; based on the first firmware update package specifying the initial identifier, update the firmware with contents of the first firmware update package, and update the initial identifier in the memory with the intermediate identifier; receive a second firmware update package specifying the intermediate identifier; and based on the second firmware update package specifying the intermediate identifier, update the firmware with contents of the second firmware update package.

Abstract: An information handling system may include at least one processor, a memory coupled to the at least one processor, and an information handling resource including a firmware. The information handling system may be configured to: boot into an operating system stored on the memory; after booting into the operating system, receive, from at least one remote server, information regarding a vulnerability associated with the firmware; based on a security policy, determine a resolution for mitigation of the vulnerability; and store information regarding the resolution in a storage location accessible to a preboot environment of the information handling system, wherein the preboot environment is configured to apply the resolution upon a subsequent boot of the information handling system.

Abstract: A BIOS of an information may transmit information regarding events detected by the BIOS to an OS of an information handling system for logging in an OS event log. A BIOS of an information handling system may detect an event and may log information regarding the event in a memory of an information handling system. An OS of the information handling system may retrieve at least a portion of the information regarding the event from the event log and may add at least a portion of the retrieved information to an OS event viewer.

Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for supporting use of system BIOS components (e.g., such as BIOS debug messages, debugger firmware, UEFI drivers, etc.) that are stored separately from the remainder of system BIOS firmware for an information handling system. The system BIOS components may represent only a portion of the total BIOS firmware, and may be selectively retrieved and loaded from the separate storage into system memory when needed by the system BIOS for operating purposes (e.g., such as debugging operations).

Abstract: The identification and loading of an appropriate service operating system can be facilitated when a main operating system fails. To facilitate the identification of which main operating system failed, an agent can create a UEFI variable that is specific to each main operating system on a client. These OS-specific UEFI variables can be employed to identify which main operating system has failed to boot. When a main operating system fails to boot, a UEFI preboot application can be configured to access the UEFI variables to identify which main operating system has failed. The UEFI preboot application can also obtain characteristics of the failed operating system from the UEFI variable and include such characteristics in a vendor extension of an SLP request. A server can employ the characteristics defined in the vendor extension to identify and send an appropriate service operating system to the client.