Patent ID: 8879427

Claim:
A method for updating the configuration of a programmable packet filtering device operating to filter packets received from a packet-based network, wherein filtering rules are used to determine whether a packet is to be junked, comprising the steps of: operating the packet filtering device in accordance with first configuration data, wherein, in accordance with the first configuration data, the packet filtering device receives packets including at least first packets from the network, processes the first packets based on the filtering rules, and transmits the processed first packets to an electronic connection coupled to the packet filtering device, wherein the packet filtering device filters the first packets at least in part based on source or destination address information and based on the first configuration data; receiving second configuration data for the packet filtering device sent from a computing system, wherein the second configuration data is selectively received by the packet filtering device, wherein the second configuration data are different from the first configuration data; loading the second configuration data into the packet filtering device; and operating the packet filtering device in accordance with the second configuration data, wherein, in accordance with the second configuration data, the packet filtering device receives packets including at least second packets from the network, processes the second packets based on the filtering rules, and transmits the processed second packets to the electronic connection coupled to the packet filtering device, wherein packet filtering device filters the second packets at least in part based on source or destination address information and based on the second configuration data; wherein a determination is made as to whether each second packet will be junked, wherein bits are changed or data is truncated in a manner such that the second packet is corrupted or rendered invalid or unacceptable.