I could not understand what 'firmware installation' means, because firmware are already installed in every computers, in order to use them. Also, I don't know what does 'SSD lock' mean. Would you please let me know what actually 'firmware installation' and 'SSD lock' mean?

When my computers were forcibly taken by the IT Director on July 2020(one year and four months ago), but he asked me the passwords in August 2021. I really don't remember the passwords. If the computers were investigated by a third party at that time, I could willingly give the third party the passwords.**