Pattern-matching API in the 2.6.x Kernel

There are various places in the kernel where we need to do some kind of pattern matching on the packet contents. Applications range from connection tracking helpers (looking for FTP PORT command, ...) over the 'string' match to intrusion detection systems.

Two years ago, Phillipe Biondi once came up with something called libqsearch. It implements a generic pattern matching API, supporting plugin based algorithm implementations.

I now took the liberty of porting this into a 2.6.x kernel, resulting in lots of changes that make my qsearch port now incompatible with what Philipe wrote. Anyway, I'm now in the process of combining this with Rusty's recent work on skb_walk() and skb_iter(), so we can pattern-match against a fragmented/nonlinear skb without any copy.