Making and using functional exploitation information in performing software or firmware updates

A computer-implemented method comprising:

• collecting, by a target computer system, functional exploitation data corresponding to usage of a plurality of software, hardware and/or firmware components for a target computer system;
• assembling the functional exploitation data into a functional exploitation signature (FES) having a predetermined format and order;
• sending, by the target computer system through a communication network and to an update server, the FES;
• and
• receiving, by the target computer through the communication network and from the update server, an update data set.

A computer-implemented method comprising:

• receiving a functional exploitation data set, where the functional exploitation data set includes information indicative of usage of a plurality of software, hardware and/or firmware components for a target computer system;
• receiving a plurality of software/firmware update data sets, where each software/firmware update data set includes a respective software/firmware update for the target computer system;
• selecting, by machine logic, a first software/firmware update data set from the plurality of software/firmware update data sets based, at least in part, on the functional exploitation data set;
• and
• sending, to the user's computer system, the first software/firmware update data set;
• wherein the functional exploitation data set is in the form of a functional exploitation signature (FES).