"This could even make obsolete network security perimeter products," Mulley said.

Professor Rao Kotagiri, the university's head of the Department of Computer Science and Software Engineering, said it is a critical time for Internet security as more businesses prepare to migrate towards VoIP and video-based systems over the next 12 months.

Kotagiri said the software, now patented in the US, does not use pattern-based protection but looks at profiles of various IP-based sources and can differentiate them.

"It's almost like a pipe where dirty water goes in and clean water comes out - good packets go through and the others are dropped," Kotagiri said. "Most existing products use pattern or statistical approaches. Our methods are statistical but very proprietary and will give better reliability.

The research is based on Dr Tao Peng's PhD project from the university's Department of Electrical and Electronic Engineering in collaboration with Dr Chris Leckie and from Computer Science and Software Engineering.