Power efficient architecture for network intrusion detection system

With the rise in cyber-attacks on computing systems and the rapid increase in use of mobile systems, it is essential to secure these mobile devices. Given that these systems can roam on multiple networks, with no guarantee on security adopted on each network, including Intrusion Detection Systems (IDS) on the mobile platforms can be beneficial in preventing cyber-attacks. One of the key problems with implementing IDS on mobile platforms is the increased power consumption. This paper presents low power circuits that implement the string matching tasks within the Snort IDS. These tasks can take up to 80% of the power consumed for Snort. The circuit presented is based on memristor crossbars and evaluate Snort rules at 0.013mW per signature. The circuits are easy to program, utilizing only two resistance states for the memristors. They are highly parallel and dense, utilizing a brute-force string matching algorithm. These circuits could additionally be utilized for other string matching operations.