Firewall filtering using network controller circuitry

A method comprising:

• storing in network controller circuitry at least one firewall filter parameter set, the circuitry to be comprised in a host computer, the host computer including a host processor to execute an operating system environment, the network controller circuitry to be coupled to the host processor and to receive at least one packet via a network;
• and
• executing by the circuitry, based at least in part upon the at least one parameter set and the at least one packet, at least one firewall filter action involving, at least in part, the at least one packet, the at least one action implementing, at least in part, at least one firewall rule, the at least one rule being supplied by a firewall application, the application being executed, at least in part, in the operating system environment, the circuitry to generate and store the at least one parameter set based at least in part upon the at least one rule, the at least one firewall rule specifying at least one contingency that if a predetermined number of identical packets have already been received from a source, and at least one additional packet that is identical to the identical packets is received from the source after the predetermined number of identical packets have been received, then the at least one additional packet is to be subject to the at least one action, but the predetermined number of identical packets are not to be subject to the at least one action, the at least one contingency being formulated, at least in part, so as to attempt to distinguish between ordinary network traffic and attempted denial of service attack.

Computer-readable memory storing one or more instructions that when executed by a machine result in performance of operations comprising:

• storing in network controller circuitry at least one firewall filter parameter set, the circuitry to be comprised in a host computer, the host computer including a host processor to execute an operating system environment, the network controller circuitry to be coupled to the host processor and to receive at least one packet via a network;
• and
• executing by the circuitry, based at least in part upon the at least one parameter set and the at least one packet, at least one firewall filter action involving, at least in part, the at least one packet, the at least one action implementing, at least in part, at least one firewall rule, the at least one rule being supplied by a firewall application to an interface of a driver associated with the circuitry, the application being executed, at least in part, in the operating system environment, the circuitry to generate and store the at least one parameter set based at least in part upon at least one command from the driver, the at least one command being based at least in part upon the at least one rule, the at least one firewall rule specifying at least one contingency that if a predetermined number of identical packets have already been received from a source, and at least one additional packet that is identical to the identical packets is received from the source after the predetermined number of identical packets have been received, then the at least one additional packet is to be subject to the at least one action, but the predetermined number of identical packets are not to be subject to the at least one action, the at least one contingency being formulated, at least in part, so as to attempt to distinguish between ordinary network traffic and attempted denial of service attack.