Scalable distributed web-based authentication

A non-transitory computer readable storage medium have stored thereon program code executable by a processor of a network device, the program code comprising:

• code that causes the processor to determine whether a user device address included in a packet matches an entry in an associative store, wherein such a match indicates that a user device identified by the user device address has been authenticated;
• and
• if the user device address does not match an entry in the associative store:
• code that causes the processor to determine whether a destination port included in the packet indicates a secure transport protocol;
• if the destination port indicates a secure transport protocol, code that causes the processor to forward, based at least in part on information from the packet, packet traffic to a first one or more processors of the network device that are dedicated to cryptographic processing;
• and
• if the destination port does not indicate a secure transport protocol, code that causes the processor to forward packet traffic to a second one or more processors of the network device that are not dedicated to cryptographic processing.

A network device comprising:

• a first one or more processors that are dedicated to cryptographic processing;
• a second one or more processors that are not dedicated to cryptographic processing;
• an associative store;
• and
• a non-transitory computer readable medium having stored on program code that,
• when executed by the network device, causes the network device to:
• determine whether a user device address included in a packet matches an entry in the associative store, wherein such a match indicates that a user device identified by the user device address has been authenticated;
• and
• if the user device address does not match an entry in the associative store:
• determine whether a destination port included in the packet indicates a secure transport protocol;
• if the destination port indicates a secure transport protocol, forward, based at least in part on information from the packet, packet traffic to the first one or more processors;
• and
• if the destination port does not indicate a secure transport protocol, forward the packet to the second one or more processors.