Abstract: In one embodiment, a processor-implemented method for monitoring network traffic between a first device executing a software application and a second device coupled to the first device. The method includes: (a) the processor analyzing application-level data contained within traffic originating from and/or received by the first device, the application-level data including data provided to and/or provided by the software application; (b) based on the results of the analysis in step (a), the processor creating one or more access rules; (c) the processor receiving a request from the second device to access the first device, the request including application-level data; and (d) the processor determining whether the request received in step (c) complies with one or more of the access rules.