Inline pattern matching and policy enforcement may be implemented by a memory storage device. In an example embodiment, a device-implemented method includes acts of receiving, intercepting, and performing and conditional acts of invoking or permitting. A request from a host to perform a memory access operation is received at a memory storage device. Data flowing between an I/O channel and physical storage of the memory storage device is intercepted. A pattern matching procedure is performed on the data with reference to multiple target patterns in real-time while the data is being intercepted. If a pattern match is detected between the data and a target pattern, a policy enforcement mechanism is invoked. If a pattern match is not detected between the data and the multiple target patterns, the request from the host to perform the memory access operation is permitted.