A method for processing packets, where the method includes programming a hardware classifier in a network interface card (NIC) to send packets associated with a first packet destination to a non-standby hardware receive ring (HRR), programming a software ring to obtain packets from the non-standby HRR, programming the software ring to send packets for the first destination to a first software receive ring (SRR), wherein the first packet destination is associated with the first SRR, obtaining identifying information about a packet associated with a denial of service (DoS) attack, programming the hardware classifier, using the identifying information, to send the packet associated with the DoS attack to a standby HRR, and for each packet received by the hardware classifier determining to which of the standby HRR and the non-standby HRR to send the packet using the programming of the hardware classifier.