System and method for managing network communications

The invention relates to managing network communications packets on a local segment of a network. If an attack on the network segment is detected, the system creates one or more synthetic hardware addresses for substitution with existing hardware address. If this substitution is maintained in address resolution tables, packets sent to or from an attacker may be monitored, managed, dropped, or responded to in a controlled manner while preventing communication with sensitive devices on the local network segment. If a permissible packet is sent to the synthetic hardware address, the packet may be reformulated by a server, workstation, smart router, or security device, among others and sent with the appropriate hardware address. The synthetic hardware address may be a hardware address not associated with a device on the local network segment. For example, the synthetic hardware address may be synthetic MAC address.