Abstract: A method, system, and computer program product containing instructions to provide hardware-based human presence detection. Rather than rely upon software to display a CAPTCHA image, hardware in the form of a sprite engine of a graphics device is used to write a random text string directly to the display device, overlaying the user interface provided by software. Because the sprite engine is isolated from a host operating system for the system, the random text string cannot be captured and processed by software robots running under the host operating system.

Abstract: A method, system, and computer program product containing instructions to provide hardware-based human presence detection. Rather than rely upon software to display a CAPTCHA image, hardware in the form of a sprite engine of a graphics device is used to write a random text string directly to the display device, overlaying the user interface provided by software. Because the sprite engine is isolated from a host operating system for the system, the random text string cannot be captured and processed by software robots running under the host operating system.

Abstract: Cryptographic operations are performed on data packets received by an electronic system. To improve system performance, incoming packets are associated with a security association and offloaded to dedicated crypto functions, such as Inline Receive or other available, alternative crypto-processing functions. In one embodiment, when Inline Receive is busy or is otherwise unavailable, a most efficient crypto function from alternative processing functions is selected as a function of the security-associated packets to perform crypto operations on an offloaded packet. Various methods, systems, apparatus, and articles comprising a machine-readable medium are also described.

Abstract: A method of receiving packets over a network interface and queuing the packets onto a receive queue containing packets to be processed by more than one processor is described. The method includes selecting a particular one of the processors to interrupt when the receive queue is to be processed. Related systems and methods are also described and claimed.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for intelligently determining which traffic streams to offload efficiently. A metric value is associated with a Security Association (SA) for each network traffic stream coupled to an electronic system. The metric is used to determine which of multiple methods to perform cryptography operations should be used to handle which streams. The metric is modified based on network traffic, and increased when the SA is cached. The metric of all SAs is periodically decreased. In one embodiment, a network interface driver determines which SAs should be cached on a network interface card and handled using Inline Receive, and which SAs should not be cached and handled using Secondary Use. Cached SAs are replaced by non-cached SAs only if the metric value of a non-cached SA is greater than the metric value of a cached SA by at least a predetermined amount representing the cost of cache replacement.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a method is provided. The method of this embodiment provides in response to receiving one or more packets from one or more base drivers, indicating the one or more packets to one or more protocol offload modules in a system implementing a scalable device driver (SDD), handling protocol offloading at one or more protocol offload modules, and indicating the one or more packets to the SDD to perform limited SDD processing.

Abstract: Cryptographic operations are performed on data packets received by an electronic system. To improve system performance, incoming packets are associated with a security association and offloaded to dedicated crypto functions, such as Inline Receive or other available, alternative crypto-processing functions. In one embodiment, when Inline Receive is busy or is otherwise unavailable, a most efficient crypto function from alternative processing functions is selected as a function of the security-associated packets to perform crypto operations on an offloaded packet. Various methods, systems, apparatus, and articles comprising a machine-readable medium are also described.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for intelligently determining which traffic streams to offload efficiently. A metric value is associated with a Security Association (SA) for each network traffic stream coupled to an electronic system. The metric is used to determine which of multiple methods to perform cryptography operations should be used to handle which streams. The metric is modified based on network traffic, and increased when the SA is cached. The metric of all SAs is periodically decreased. In one embodiment, a network interface driver determines which SAs should be cached on a network interface card and handled using Inline Receive, and which SAs should not be cached and handled using Secondary Use. Cached SAs are replaced by non-cached SAs only if the metric value of a non-cached SA is greater than the metric value of a cached SA by at least a predetermined amount representing the cost of cache replacement.

Abstract: Embodiments of a method and apparatus to reduce errors of security association are described.