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What is a honeypot in cybersecurity?

pot, honey, fabric

A honeypot is a security tool used in cybersecurity to detect, deflect, and study malicious activity on a network. It is a computer system or application designed to attract and trap potential attackers, usually by appearing to be an easy target. The honeypot is used to identify malicious actors and to gather information about their tactics, techniques, and procedures.

Honeypots are used to detect malicious activity that would otherwise go unnoticed. They are designed to be as attractive as possible to attackers, while remaining isolated from the rest of the network. This isolation allows the honeypot to record the attacker’s activities without the risk of them damaging the production environment.

Honeypots are also used to study the behavior of attackers. They can be used to observe the tactics, techniques, and procedures used by attackers, which can help organizations better understand the threat landscape and develop better security measures.

Honeypots can be used in a variety of ways, including as a decoy to distract attackers from more valuable targets, as a lure to draw attackers into a trap, or as a sandbox to study the behavior of malicious actors.

Honeypots are an important tool in the fight against cybercrime. They can help organizations detect malicious activity, study attackers’ behavior, and develop better security measures.