Torng and Liu receive NSF Funding

Eric Torng and Alex X. Liu, Associate Professors of Computer Science and Engineering at Michigan State University, have received a NSF grant for the project titled "Exploratory Studies of New Automata Models and Algorithms for TCAM-based Regular Expression Matching."

Regular expression matching is the core operation in a wide range of networking and security services (such as malware filtering) on most networking middleboxes and security devices (such as routers and network intrusion detection and prevention systems). As each packet is processed by such a device, the packet payload is examined to determine if it matches any of the specified regular expressions, each of which might correspond to a specific security threat. In most regular expression matching solutions, the regular expressions are converted into a finite state automata model which is then used to perform the search. Because each packet must be searched, high speed and low memory regular expression matching solutions are required. Unfortunately, the standard automata models, deterministic finite state automata (DFA) and nondeterministic finite state automata (NFA), are insufficient because neither can achieve both low memory and high speed. This project explores the feasibility of new high speed low memory regular expression matching solutions based on ternary content addressable memory (TCAM). If successful, the result will be a fundamentally new regular expression matching solution that will help make the Internet both faster and more secure.

(Date Posted: 2013-08-16)