Patent ID: 7657938

Claim:
A computer-implemented method for protecting a computer network, comprising the steps of: a network security device monitoring network data carried by the computer network; the network security device analyzing first byte information of the network data to determine whether the network data comprises one of a plurality of intrusion events; and in response to detecting one of the plurality of intrusion events in the network data, the network security device forwarding the network data to an intended destination on the computer network, the network security device predicting additional network data associated with the detected intrusion event, the network security device altering at least a portion of second byte information of the predicted additional network data and the network security device forwarding the altered second byte information of the predicted additional network data to the intended destination on the computer network prior to arrival of actual additional network data corresponding to the predicted additional network data at the intended destination, thereby causing the actual additional network data to be discarded, otherwise, the network security device passing the first byte information without alteration to the destination in the absence of detecting one of the plurality of intrusion events in the network data.