A fragmentation attack is a type of network attack that takes advantage of the way network protocols handle fragmented packets. In this attack, an attacker intentionally fragments or manipulates packets to exploit vulnerabilities in the reassembly process.

This can lead to security vulnerabilities such as buffer overflow or evasion of intrusion detection systems. Fragmentation attacks aim to disrupt network communication or compromise the security of a system by manipulating the packet fragments during transit.

Follow-up Question: How can organizations defend against fragmentation attacks, and what measures can be implemented to enhance the security of network protocols?

Answer: In defending against fragmentation attacks, organizations can implement packet filtering mechanisms that inspect and drop maliciously crafted or suspicious fragments. Additionally, keeping network equipment and software up-to-date with the latest security patches helps address known vulnerabilities.