Methods and systems for performing risk checks on electronic orders for securities. According to one embodiment, the method comprises performing risk checks on an electronic order for a security, the electronic order being issued from a client computer to an exchange computer via a network, wherein a risk check engine is logically interposed between the client computer and the exchange computer on the network. According to the illustrative method, at the risk check engine, the electronic order is received and parsed into one or more fields and data within the fields is identified at a network layer. The risk check engine performs one or more risk checks on the data using a processing element at the network layer. If the risk checks are passed, the risk check engine permits the electronic order to be transmitted to the exchange computer. If one or more of the risk checks are violated, the risk check engine rejects the order.