Secure message processing protocol

A system for processing an electronic data message received via a network from a source, the electronic data message comprising a sequence of data, the electronic data message having been transmitted by the source via the network as a plurality of packets characterized by a sequence therebetween corresponding to the sequence of the data of the electronic data message, each packet including data indicative of the sequence of that packet relative to others of the plurality of packets of the electronic data message, the system comprising:

• a network interface coupled with the network and operative to receive at least a subset of the plurality of packets therefrom and augment each received packet with a timestamp upon receipt indicative of the time thereof;
• a non-transitory memory storing computer-executable instructions executable by a processor coupled with the network interface to cause the processor to implement:
• a first logic component coupled with the network interface and operative to receive each augmented packet from the network interface;
• a second logic component coupled with the first logic component and operative to automatically analyze each received augmented packet to determine if at least one of the received augmented packets was received by the network interface in an order different from the sequence between the plurality of packets by comparing the data indicative of the sequence with the corresponding timestamp of each received augmented packet to determine if the order of receipt of the received augmented packets corresponds to the sequence between the received augmented packets;
• and
• a third logic component coupled with the second logic component and operative to, when the second logic component determines that at least one of the received augmented packets of the electronic data message was received by the network interface in an order different from the sequence between the plurality of packets, take an action with respect to the electronic data message regardless of whether the at least one of the received augmented packets of the electronic data message was transmitted by the source prior to or after an occurrence of an event, wherein the third logic component does not distinguish between inadvertent and intentionally optimistic messaging behavior by the source, wherein the action comprises applying a time delay to the electronic data message.

A computer implemented method for processing an electronic data message received via a network from a source, the electronic data message comprising a sequence of data, the electronic data message having been transmitted by the source via the network as a plurality of packets characterized by a sequence therebetween corresponding to the sequence of the data of the data message, each packet including data indicative of the sequence of that packet relative to others of the plurality of packets of the electronic data message, the method comprising:

• receiving, by a network interface coupled with the network, at least a subset of the plurality of packets therefrom;
• augmenting, by the network interface, each received packet with a timestamp upon receipt indicative of the time thereof;
• receiving, by a first processor coupled with the network interface, each augmented packet from the network interface;
• automatically analyzing, by a second processor coupled with the first processor, each received augmented packet to determine if at least one of the received augmented packets was received by the network interface in an order different from the sequence between the plurality of packets by comparing the data indicative of the sequence with the corresponding timestamp of each received augmented packet to determine if the order of receipt of the received augmented packets corresponds to the sequence between the received augmented packets;
• and
• when the second processor determines that at least one of the received augmented packets of the electronic data message was received by the network interface in an order different from the sequence between the packets, taking an action, by a third processor coupled with the second processor, with respect to the electronic data message regardless of whether the at least one of the received augmented packets of the electronic data message was transmitted by the source prior to or after an occurrence of an event, wherein the second processor does not distinguish between inadvertent and intentionally optimistic messaging behavior by the source, wherein the action comprises applying a time delay to the electronic data message.

A system for processing an electronic data message received via a network from a source, the electronic data message comprising a sequence of data, the electronic data message having been transmitted by the source via the network as a plurality of packets characterized by a sequence therebetween corresponding to the sequence of the data of the electronic data message, each packet including data indicative of the sequence of that packet relative to others of the plurality of packets of the electronic data message, the system comprising:

• means for receiving at least a subset of the plurality of packets therefrom;
• means for augmenting each received packet with a timestamp upon receipt indicative of the time thereof;
• means for receiving each augmented packet from the network interface;
• means for automatically analyzing each received augmented packet to determine if at least one of the received augmented packets was received in an order different from the sequence between the plurality of packets by comparing the data indicative of the sequence with the corresponding timestamp of each received augmented packet to determine if the order of receipt of the received augmented packets corresponds to the sequence between the received augmented packets;
• and
• when the means determines that at least one of the received augmented packets of the electronic data message was received in an order different from the sequence between the plurality of packets, means for taking an action with respect to the electronic data message regardless of whether the at least one of the received augmented packets of the electronic data message was transmitted by the source prior to or after an occurrence of an event, wherein the means does not distinguish between inadvertent and intentionally optimistic messaging behavior by the source, wherein the action comprises applying a time delay to the electronic data message.