System and method to traverse a non-deterministic finite automata (NFA) graph generated for regular expression patterns with advanced features

摘要

In one embodiment, a method of walking a non-deterministic finite automata (NFA) graph representing a pattern includes extracting a node type and an element from a node of the NFA graph. The method further includes matching a segment of a payload for the element by matching the payload for the element at least zero times, the number of times based on the node type.

主权项

1. A method of walking a non-deterministic finite automata (NFA) graph representing a pattern, the method comprising:
by a processor, extracting a node type, a next node address, and an element from a node of the NFA graph; and by the processor, matching a segment of a payload with the element by matching the payload with the element at least zero times, a number of the at least zero times based on the node type, wherein extracting the node type, next node address, and the element from the node enable the processor to identify the pattern in the payload with less nodes relative to another NFA graph representing the pattern.