METHODS AND APPARATUS FOR HEURISTIC/DETERMINISTIC FINITE AUTOMATA

摘要

One embodiment of the present invention is a method for processing data in a computer or computer communications network that includes the steps of analyzing data using at least a first Heuristic/Deterministic Finite Automata (H/DFA), to classify data based upon pre-programmed classification values assigned to different possible input data and/or pre-trained or dynamically updated heuristic engine output, and to select data for further processing based upon the resultant classification values that the logically interconnected look-up tables and/or heuristic components output given the input data. This exemplary embodiment overcomes disadvantages of previous methods for providing access control list, firewall, instrusion detection, intrusion prevention, spam filtration, anti-spyware, anti-phishing, anti-virus, anti-trojan, anti-worm, other computer security, routing, and/or switching related functionality. Heuristic algorithms, or a combination of logically interconnected look-up tables and heuristic techniques can also implement the H/DFA functionality. There are significant advantages in speed and scalability.