Linux Firewalls

Network Layer Attack Definitions

We define a network layer attack as a packet or series of packets that abuses the fields of the network layer header in order to exploit a vulnerability in the network stack implementation of an end host, consume network layer resources, or conceal the delivery of exploits against higher layers.

Network attacks fall into one of three categories:

Header abuses

Packets that contain maliciously constructed, broken, or falsified network layer headers. Examples include IP packets with spoofed source addresses and packets that contain unrealistic fragment offset values.

Network stack exploits

Packets that contain specially constructed components designed to exploit a vulnerability in the network stack implementation of an ...