Abstract: A method and system for inspecting a data packet stream in a computer network for patterns that fall across data packet boundaries is disclosed. This includes determining if two or more data packets are consecutive in the data packet stream, combining data payloads from the consecutive data packets, and analyzing the combined data payloads from the consecutive data packets for a plurality of patterns of character combinations, wherein the maximum length of the combined data payloads is one less than the maximum number of characters for a pattern having a longest length of the plurality of patterns of character combinations. This can include a content searching engine and/or a regular expression engine. There are optional aspects to return data packets to an outgoing data stream based on predetermined criteria and if the data packets are in the system for over a predetermined time period.

Abstract: A trap matrix searches the entire contents of a data stream for a pattern that matches the pattern for a search term. In those circumstances where there is a match between patterns of the data stream and the search term, the method and system can proceed to an exact match operation. In particular, a pointer matrix and a corresponding active control matrix are generated according to a set of terms in a rule table. Data is sequenced the trap matrix according to the hierarchy of its trap elements. The trap elements perform a pattern match check between the sequenced data stream and any search term in the set of terms in the rule table. Results from a positive pattern match are preferably communicated from the matching trap element to an exact match lookup.