Calculating consecutive matches using parallel computing

A method comprising:

• receiving, by a network security device, a data stream having a defined number of data segments and a class definition for the data stream;
• partitioning, by the network security device, said received data stream into a set of data blocks, wherein each data block comprises N data segments;
• processing, by the network security device, each data block in parallel, and for each data block, computing the following in parallel:
• a first integer value (F) indicating whether each data segment value of said data block forms part of the class definition;
• a second integer value (L) indicating a number of consecutive data segment values that form part of the class definition starting from a left-hand side of the data block;
• a third integer value (M) indicating a maximum number of consecutive data segment values that form part of the class definition;
• and
• a fourth integer value (R) indicating a number of consecutive data segment values that form part of the class definition starting from the right-hand side of the data block;
• aggregating, by the network security device, F, L, M and R for each data block in a sequential manner to determine, for the received data stream, a maximum number of consecutive data segment values in the received data stream that form part of the class definition;
• and
• wherein F, L, M and R of two consecutive data blocks resulting from aggregating F, L, M and R of a first data block of the two consecutive data blocks in the set of data blocks (F1, L1, M1 and R1) with F, L, M and R of a second data block of the two consecutive data blocks in the set of data blocks (F2, L2, M2 and R2) is represented by a set of equations as follows:
• (F,L,M,R)=(F1,L1,M1,R1)+(F2,L2,M2,R2);
• F=F1*F2;
• L=L1+F1*L2;
• M=max(M1,M2,R1+L2);
• and
• R=R1*F2+R2.

A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium embodying a set of instructions, which when executed by one or more processors of a network security device, causes the one or more processors to perform a method comprising:

• receiving a data stream having a defined number of data segments and a class definition for the data stream;
• partitioning said received data stream into a set of data blocks, wherein each data block comprises N data segments;
• processing each data block in parallel, and for each data block, computing the following in parallel:
• a first integer value (F) indicating whether each data segment value of said data block forms part of the class definition;
• a second integer value (L) indicating a number of consecutive data segment values that form part of the class definition starting from a left-hand side of the data block;
• a third integer value (M) indicating a maximum number of consecutive data segment values that form part of the class definition;
• and
• a fourth integer value (R) indicating a number of consecutive data segment values that form part of the class definition starting from the right-hand side of the data block;
• aggregating F, L, M and R for each data block in a sequential manner to determine, for the received data stream, a maximum number of consecutive data segment values in the received data stream that form part of the class definition;
• and
• wherein F, L, M and R of two consecutive data blocks resulting from aggregating F, L, M and R of a first data block of the two consecutive data blocks in the set of data blocks (F1, L1, M1 and R1) with F, L, M and R of a second data block of the two consecutive data blocks in the set of data blocks (F2, L2, M2 and R2) is represented by a set of equations as follows:
• (F,L,M,R)=(F1,L1,M1,R1)+(F2,L2,M2,R2);
• F=F1*F2;
• L=L1+F1*L2;
• M=max(M1,M2,R1+L2);
• and
• R=R1*F2+R2.