Threat detection is a crucial element of robust cybersecurity frameworks. For which organizations and individuals integrate specific methods while upgrading their protective standards. Honeypotting is a common practice to identify potential cyber risks in order to eliminate the same.
Data states that over 2,200 cyber-attacks occur every day, costing companies remarkable financial loss. However, only a few firms fully or partially recover. So, how can cyber-attacks be limited? Is it even possible in the contemporary tech-driven world?
The first step toward implementing stringent security tactics is to detect probable threats beforehand. A honeypot is a method that assists in trapping attackers before they cause harm. Let us discuss it in detail.
What is a Honeypot in Cybersecurity?
In cybersecurity, a honeypot is a technique for deceiving attackers and identifying their malicious intent. It is basically a decoy server that is managed alongside the original server of a computer or system. The tactic not only identifies probable risks but also reveals weaknesses in the process and undertakes preventive measures.
Such servers are usually placed to attract hackers and cyber attackers who can access them without authentication. Nevertheless, IT experts can fully monitor honey trap servers to detect any suspenseful activities on these. There are two primary types of this decoy system:
Research honeypot: Here, IT professionals closely assess the behavior of the attackers while understanding their intention and progression to carry out an attack. Based on the data retrieved from such servers, analysts can detect where their stolen data is and connections between attackers.
Production honeypot: The server here plays the role of a decoy, which is placed alongside primary or production servers inside the primary network. It distracts attackers from main servers and attracts them toward itself by offering a certain amount of data that seems legitimate.Â
How do Honeypots Work?
Honeypots are nothing but traps to deceive attackers. Therefore, its process starts with successful deployment.
Deployment: Organizations and IT professionals intentionally deploy decoy servers alongside their production network. It can be separate hardware placed next to the primary device or software within the main network. Companies also utilize virtual machines (VMs) for the same.
Mimicking weaknesses and attracting attackers: Organizations configure honeytrap servers with vulnerable security codes that are easy to break. Moreover, such machines include real but outdated information, services, and other details. All these components fascinate attackers who intend to take advantage of network vulnerabilities.
Monitoring: Decoy servers allow professionals continuous monitoring, which makes tracing malicious and suspicious activities easier. Illegal log-in attempts, command sharing, or relevant changes are easily recognizable in lure systems.
Alerts and delays: In case of any unauthenticated log-in attempts, the deceptive technology sends immediate alerts to the concerned parties. The act of deception assists in keeping attackers busy and away from the primary servers, making the threatening situation lengthy.
Data collection and assessment: Decoy systems gather data of each suspicious activity and analyze the same to detect potential vulnerabilities and threats. It further supports professionals in mitigating risk factors.
Advantages of honeypot:
Threat intelligence: Honeytrap or decoy servers help detect possible cyber-attacks way before their occurrence.
Threat alerts: The technology sends threat alerts or warnings to the main server while sensing any unusual activity.
Distraction: The deceptive mechanism of the honeypot diverts attackers from the real servers with misconfigured information. The process captivates criminals with real but outdated details and saves actual resources.
Real data collection and evaluation: The cybersecurity method gathers data from real events and evaluates it to detect weaknesses and implement relevant preventive techniques.
Summing up!
Identifying threats is a prime strategy to restrict increasing cybercrime in every sector. Honeypots can assist companies in achieving their cybersecurity goal of detecting risks beforehand.
Though the method does not directly safeguard confidential data like an anti-virus, it initiates a deceptive mechanism that gathers data on relevant cyber threats, assesses it, and mitigates the risks. Companies can easily integrate this tactic as it is cost-effective and depends on real-time data. Follow our blog updates to learn about the advanced cybersecurity approaches.
Also Read: Cybersecurity Metrics Measuring the Safety of Your Data
