Sean E Davis

US Patent:

20040030931, Feb 12, 2004

Filed:

Aug 12, 2003

Appl. No.:

10/638313

Inventors:

Alexander Chamandy - Arlington VA, US
Sean Davis - Centreville VA, US

International Classification:

G06F011/30
G06F015/173

US Classification:

713/201000, 709/224000

Abstract:

A system and method for providing enhance network security is disclosed. In particular, data traffic is initially presented to a network device for processing. In response, the device reviews the data traffic and compares the data traffic against predetermined criteria. Next, it is determined whether the data traffic matches the criteria and, if so, a handler script is called to process the data traffic in accordance with its identification. If the data traffic does not match the criteria, the process ends and the data traffic is passed as conventional traffic. Because information regarding the data traffic is initially reviewed passively, the process of the present invention is able to operate using very little in the way of processor resources. Only when traffic identification information is passed to the handler script is an action actually performed on the traffic. Additionally, by providing a handler script outside the confines of the traffic analyzing program, changes to the handling of identified traffic may be modified without requiring a recompilation of the entire system.