Method for providing an elastic content filtering security service in a mesh network

A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium having embodied thereon a program executable by a processor for implementing a method for preventing access to undesired content, the method comprising:

• receiving a request to access content at a first wireless mesh node, the request identifying a content source device;
• comparing information associated with the request with information stored in a cache memory of the first wireless mesh node;
• sending the information associated with the request to a first computing device, wherein the first computing device compares the information associated with the request with stored information and provides a test result to the first wireless mesh node that indicates at least one of a good, bad, or indeterminate status of the access request;
• establishing a communication session between the first wireless mesh node and the content source device identified by the request;
• sending an initial portion of the requested content to a requesting computer in accordance with the received request, wherein a final portion of the requested content is held at the first wireless mesh node pending receipt of the test result from the first computing device;
• and
• performing an action based on the received test result, wherein the action performed includes at least one of allowing the final portion of the requested content to be sent to the requesting computer when the received test result is indicative of a good access request, blocking the final portion of the requested content from being sent to the requesting computer when the received test result is indicative of a bad access request, or sending data regarding the request to a security computer when the result is indicative of an indeterminate status.

An apparatus for preventing access to undesired content, the apparatus comprising:

• a wireless data communication interface that receives a request to access content, the request identifying a content source device;
• a memory;
• a cache memory;
• and
• a processor that executes instructions out of the memory to:
• compare information associated with the request with information stored in the cache memory,
• prepare the information associated with the request for transmission to a first computing device, wherein the information associated with the request is transmitted to the first computing device, and the first computing device:
• compares the information associated with the request with stored information,
• provides a test result to the wireless data communication interface that indicates at least one of a good, bad, or indeterminate status of the access request,
• establishes a communication session between the wireless data communication interface and the content source device identified by the request, and
• sends an initial portion of the requested content to a requesting computer in accordance with the received request, wherein a final portion of the requested content is held pending receipt of the test result from the first computing device;
• and
• perform an action based on the received test result, wherein the action performed includes at least one of allowing the final portion of the requested content to be sent to the requesting computer when the received test result is indicative of a good access request, blocking the final portion of the requested content from being sent to the requesting computer when the received test result is indicative of a bad access request, or sending data regarding the request to a security computer when the result is indicative of an indeterminate status.