Real time firewall/data protection systems and methods

Abstract

Methods and systems for firewall / data protection that filters data packets in real time and without packet buffering are disclosed. A data packet filtering hub, which may be implemented as part of a switch or router, receives a packet on one link, reshapes the electrical signal, and transmits it to one or more other links. During this process, a number of filters checks are performed in parallel, resulting in a decision about whether each packet should or should not be invalidated by the time that the last bit is transmitted. To execute this task, the filtering hub performs rules-based filtering on several levels simultaneously, preferably with a programmable logic or other hardware device. Various methods for packet filtering in real time and without buffering with programmable logic are disclosed. The system may include constituent elements of a stateful packet filtering hub, such as microprocessors, controllers, and integrated circuits. The system may be reset, enabled, disabled, configured, and / or reconfigured with toggles or other physical switches. Audio and visual feedback may be provided regarding the operation and status of the system.

Description

FIELD OF THE INVENTION [0001] The present invention relates to computer security and data protection systems and methods, and more particularly to firewall and data protection systems and methods for filtering packets, such as from the Internet, in real time and without packet buffering. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION [0002] The use of the Internet has exploded in recent years. Small and large companies as well as individual users are spending more time with their computers connected to the Internet. With the advent of Internet technologies, such as cable modems, digital subscriber lines, and other “broadband” access devices, users are connecting their computers to the Internet for extended periods of time. [0003] Such extended or “persistent” connection to the Internet brings many advantages to users in immediate access to the content on the Internet through the use of email, search engines, and the like. Unfortunately, however, persistent access to the Internet exposes connected comp...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0011] The present invention may employ a variety of networking devices in order to be practical, reliable and efficient. In addition, preferred embodiments of the present invention may include constituent elements of a stateful packet filtering hub, such as microprocessors, controllers, and integrated circuits, in order to perform the real time, packet-filtering, without requiring buffering as with conventional techniques. The present invention preferably is reset, enabled, disabled, configured and / or reconfigured with relatively simple toggles or other physical switches, thereby removing the requirement for a user to be trained in sophisticated computer and network configuration. In accordance with preferred embodiments of the present invention, the system may be controlled and / or configured with simple switch activation(s).

[0012] Accordingly, one object of the present invention is to simplify the configuration requirements and filtering tasks of Internet firewall and data protection systems.

[0018] A further object of the present invention is to perform the filtering tasks relatively faster than current state-of-the-art, software-based firewall / data protection systems.

[0025] A further object of the present invention is to conduct packet filtering without requiring a MAC address or IP address to perform packet filtering.

[0026] Yet another object of the present invention is to facilitate the shortest time to carry out bitstream filtering tasks.

[0027] Finally, it is another object of the present invention to be able to perform filtering rules out of order and without the current state-of-the-art convention of prioritizing the filtering rules serially.

Problems solved by technology

An Ethernet hub is a network device that links multiple network segments together at the medium level (the medium level is just above the physical level, which connects to the network cable), but typically provides no capability for packet-type filtering.

As is known, when a hub receives an Ethernet packet on one connection, it forwards the packet to all other links with minimal delay and is accordingly not suitable as a point for making filtering-type decisions.

Images