Systems and Methods for Processing Data Flows

Abstract

A flow processing facility, which uses a set of artificial neurons for pattern recognition, such as a self-organizing map, in order to provide security and protection to a computer or computer system supports unified threat management based at least in part on patterns relevant to a variety of types of threats that relate to computer systems, including computer networks. Flow processing for switching, security, and other network applications, including a facility that processes a data flow to address patterns relevant to a variety of conditions are directed at internal network security, virtualization, and web connection security. A flow processing facility for inspecting payloads of network traffic packets detects security threats and intrusions across accessible layers of the IP-stack by applying content matching and behavioral anomaly detection techniques based on regular expression matching and self-organizing maps. Exposing threats and intrusions within packet payload at or near real-time rates enhances network security from both external and internal sources while ensuring security policy is rigorously applied to data and system resources. Intrusion Detection and Protection (IDP) is provided by a flow processing facility that processes a data flow to address patterns relevant to a variety of types of network and data integrity threats that relate to computer systems, including computer networks.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method in a flow processing facility for securing a computer resource, comprising:
 providing a data flow processing facility comprising a plurality of network addressable data processing modules;   receiving a data flow;   identifying data packets associated with a subscriber profile in the data flow;   employing a policy to make a determination, the determination indicating which of a plurality of network addresses of the plurality of the network addressable data processing modules to select for first processing of the identified data packets based on at least one of the subscriber profile in the data flow and the policy;   accessing a configuration, the configuration associating two or more processing actions with the policy;   delivering the identified data packets to a first network addressable data processing module for executing one of the actions that are associated with the policy, the first network addressable data processing module being accessible at the network address that the determination indicates, the one of the actions modifying the data flow;   determining a second network address of a network addressable data processing module for second processing of the identified data packets based on the configuration and at least one of the subscriber profile and the policy; and   delivering the identified data packets from the first network address to the second network address to secure a computer resource.