Systems and methods for security policy organization using a dual bitmap

Abstract

Systems, devices, and methods for correlating security policies to received packets are provided. In one example, a network device, maintains information regarding multiple security policies within a dual bitmap based search tree including a first bitmap and a second bitmap formatted as information embedded in a node structure. A packet is received by the network. A first field of the packet is compared with a first range, corresponding to a first bit location in the first bitmap in which the first bit location in the first bitmap is associated with at least a first security policy. After determining the first field is within the first range, the network device accesses a second bit location in the second bitmap, corresponding to the first bit location. Based at least in part upon a value in the second bit location, a set of one or more security policies are applied to the packet.