Intrusion detection and prevention processing within network interface circuitry

A network interface controller (NIC) configured to couple a host to a network, the NIC coupled to the host via a host bus, and the host configured to operate a plurality of virtual machines, the NIC including a data frame processing pipeline configured to:

• receive at least one data frame, the at least one data frame including at least a source network address and indication of at least one destination network address,
• based on an indication in the data frame, determine if the received data frame is a frame on which additional processing should occur;
• based on a result of the determining step, cause the frame to be provided to the host, via the host bus, for the host to perform the additional processing;
• and
• receive, via the host bus, the frame on which additional processing has been performed and provide the frame to a destination based on the indication of the at least one destination address.

A network interface controller (NIC) configured to couple a host to a network, the NIC coupled to the host via a host bus, and the host configured to operate a plurality of virtual machines, the NIC configured to:

• receive at least one data frame, the at least one data frame including at least a source network address and indication of at least one destination network address,
• determine if the received data frame is a frame on which additional processing should occur;
• based on a result of the determining step, cause the frame to be provided for additional processing prior to providing the frame to a destination;
• and
• receive the frame on which additional processing has been performed and steer the frame to the destination based on the at least one destination address.