IP Library Granted Patent US 12671676
Granted Patent B2
US 12671676 · App. 18/776,106 · Granted Jun 30, 2026

Fast policy matching with runtime signature update

Inventor: Chunqing Cai (Los Altos, CA)
Assignee: Palo Alto Networks, Inc.
H04L63/0245H04L63/1416H04L63/20
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12671676
App. No.
18/776,106
Granted
Jun 30, 2026
Kind
B2
Abstract

Techniques for fast policy matching with runtime signature update are disclosed. In some embodiments, a system/process/computer program product for fast policy matching with runtime signature update includes receiving a plurality of rules for pattern-matching signatures; compiling the plurality of rules for a fast policy matching engine that detects malware using the pattern-matching signatures; and executing the compiled plurality of rules using the fast policy matching engine to detect a match using at least one of the pattern-matching signatures.

Claims (41)

1 . A system, comprising:

a processor configured to:

receive a plurality of rules for pattern-matching signatures;

compile the plurality of rules for a fast policy matching engine that detects malware using the pattern-matching signatures; and

execute the compiled plurality of rules using the fast policy matching engine to detect a match using at least one of the pattern-matching signatures; and

a memory coupled to the processor and configured to provide the processor with instructions.

2 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the fast policy matching engine is for a layer 3 and layer 4 threat engine of a firewall.

3 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the fast policy matching engine is implemented in software.

4 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the fast policy matching engine is implemented in hardware.

5 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the fast policy matching engine includes a hash bucket evaluator for match, not match, and range.

6 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the pattern-matching signatures include malware signatures, and wherein the processor is further configured to perform runtime processing of incoming network packets to detect malware.

7 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the pattern-matching signatures comprise a set of user defined rules, and wherein the processor is further configured to compile the rules by performing the following:

parse each of a plurality of user defined rules to extract distinct fields; and

generate an evaluator for each of the extracted distinct fields.

8 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the pattern-matching signatures include malware signatures, and wherein the malware signatures comprise a set of user defined rules, and wherein the processor is further configured to compile the rules by performing the following:

parse each of a plurality of user defined rules to extract distinct fields;

generate a plurality of evaluators, wherein there is at least one evaluator for each of the extracted distinct fields; and

perform runtime processing of incoming network packets using one or more of the plurality of evaluators to detect malware.

9 . A method, comprising:

receiving a plurality of rules for pattern-matching signatures;

compiling the plurality of rules for a fast policy matching engine that detects malware using the pattern-matching signatures; and

executing the compiled plurality of rules using the fast policy matching engine to detect a match using at least one of the pattern-matching signatures.

10 . The method of claim 9 , wherein the fast policy matching engine is for a layer 3 and layer 4 threat engine of a firewall.

11 . The method of claim 9 , wherein the fast policy matching engine is implemented in software.

12 . The method of claim 9 , wherein the fast policy matching engine is implemented in hardware.

13 . The method of claim 9 , wherein the fast policy matching engine includes a hash bucket evaluator for match, not match, and range.

14 . The method of claim 9 , further comprising performing runtime processing of incoming network packets to detect malware.

15 . The method of claim 9 , further comprising:

parsing each of a plurality of user defined rules to extract distinct fields; and

generating an evaluator for each of the extracted distinct fields.

16 . The method of claim 9 , further comprising:

parsing each of a plurality of user defined rules to extract distinct fields;

generating a plurality of evaluators, wherein there is at least one evaluator for each of the extracted distinct fields; and

performing runtime processing of incoming network packets using one or more of the plurality of evaluators to detect malware.

17 . A computer program product embodied in a non-transitory computer readable medium and comprising computer instructions for:

receiving a plurality of rules for pattern-matching signatures;

compiling the plurality of rules for a fast policy matching engine that detects malware using the pattern-matching signatures; and

executing the compiled plurality of rules using the fast policy matching engine to detect a match using at least one of the pattern-matching signatures.

18 . The computer program product of claim 17 , wherein the fast policy matching engine is for a layer 3 and layer 4 threat engine of a firewall.

19 . The computer program product of claim 17 , wherein the fast policy matching engine includes a hash bucket evaluator for match, not match, and range.

20 . The computer program product of claim 17 , further comprising computer instructions performing runtime processing of incoming network packets to detect malware.