Patent ID: 8468589

Claim:
A computer-implemented method comprising: receiving a plurality of packets at a first interface of a multi-purpose network protection firewall device including one or more processors and a memory; identifying a transmission protocol according to which network content distributed among a subset of packets of the plurality of packets is formatted as an instant messaging (IM) protocol; using information regarding the identified transmission protocol to redirect the subset of packets to a proxy module integrated within the multi-purpose protection firewall device; extracting the network content from the subset of packets and buffering at least a portion of the network content by the proxy module; processing, by the proxy module, the buffered portion of the network content in accordance with at least one content processing rule selected from a plurality of content processing rules based on the identified transmission protocol; identifying a second transmission protocol according to which network content distributed among a second subset of packets of the plurality of packets is formatted; using information regarding the identified second transmission protocol to redirect the second subset of packets to a second proxy module integrated within the multi-purpose protection firewall device; wherein the second transmission protocol is distinct from the transmission protocol; wherein the processing comprises filtering the buffered portion of the network content; wherein the plurality of content processing rules includes one or more content filtering rules; and wherein the proxy module is implemented at least in part by the one or more processors and the memory, the memory having instructions tangibly embodied therein representing at least a portion of the proxy module that are executable by the one or more processors.