In network security and the IT world, honeypots are a popular term that is a fake digital asset or environment that is used to attract cybercriminals. The term honeypot obviously comes from attracting bees with honey as well as the world of espionage, like with anything that has to do with hostile activity. The same strategy is used to detect hacking attacks or attempts and further protect data. Read more on how honeypots are a great tool to use for cybersecurity and how companies like Fognigma can help military organizations.
What is Honeypot in Network Security?
Honeypots are great if you are having cyberattacks and don’t know where they’re coming from. Read more below on what you need to know about implementing honeypots within your data infrastructure.
Distraction and Improved Security Posture
Honeypots are also great for distracting unauthorized users or hackers from accomplishing their goals. They can do this by giving out useless or fake data as well as false access. Honeypots can also improve an organization’s security posture by helping with increased visibility and defense that firewalls and other encryption applications sometimes can’t prevent. This added layer of security is great for military organizations to see what proactive measures they need to take before their data becomes exploited.
Early Detection
IT professionals can use honeypots to provide an early warning when an attack is about to occur so that it can get everybody prepared and respond quicker than they would without one. It would be so helpful for your team to know when a threat is near without it already getting into your system. By attracting cyber hackers, you can spot the attack quicker and eliminate them before it’s too late. Also, this strategy can help in analyzing new attack vectors and knowing how to identify them so that in the future, they’re prepared for anything.
Types of Honeypots
You might be surprised to know that honeypots come in various forms with specific purposes. Here are some of the popular types:
Low-Interaction Honeypots
These types of honeypots are mainly used for an extra layer of protection but not too much of an interaction within your cybersecurity. A lot of times, IT professionals use this kind of honeypot to just have a little more security than what they had before, so they don’t have to have too much of a resource investment put in.
High-Interaction Honeypots
These kinds of honeypots are probably the most used and give the most realistic environment. It allows attackers to be able to interact with them directly while also giving your team insights into how these attackers work and what methods they use to extract data and communication information. It is worth being said that high-interaction honeypots do require a lot more time and maintenance than others.
Use Cases for Honeypots
Most people start to consider honeypots when there is a lot of malicious activity going on, and they can’t tell where it’s coming from. So, with honeypots installed, they’re able to detect insider threats as well as being extremely helpful in remote work environments.
Monitoring Remote Work Environments
With the rise of remote work came the rise of cyber attacks. It was becoming more and more difficult for IT teams to protect data with employees being within their homes in different locations. Honeypots are helpful tools that help monitor remote work for potential threats, as well as add a layer of security for all employees working remotely.
Implementing Honeypots in Your Security Strategy
So you’re sold on honeypots. Great news! Here’s how to implement it within your security strategy.
Identify Key Assets
Sit down and figure out which assets your company has and what systems are most important in everyday operations. Once you have your list of key assets, you can focus your honeypot strategy on deploying it and creating protection for these systems and assets.
Develop a Deployment Plan
With your assets in mind, creating a deployment plan with lots of details can help protect the data and the entire network. Make sure to keep in mind factors like resource requirements, placement, and how much maintenance it’s going to need once deployed.
Monitor and Analyze
Once the honeypot is released, it’s now time to sit back and see what it can do. It’s important to make sure you’re analyzing the data and regularly monitoring it. Otherwise, the purpose of the honeypot is ruined. Once you have enough information, you can improve your overall security by making updates accordingly. Also, knowing what emerging threats there are can get you better prepared for the future.
Difference between honeypots and firewalls in IT?
Firewalls and honeypots are often described as the same thing in that they protect networks, but each protects the network in different ways. First, firewalls act as a barrier between external and internal networks and can block unauthorized users under predetermined rules. On the other hand, honeypots are designed to bring attackers in by attraction and then gather information about their tactics to better secure your data.
Another difference these terms have is that firewalls actively allow or block traffic based on what the IT team configures, while honeypots passively collect the info by alluring attackers. Some like to say that honeypots are more of a proactive security strategy, and firewalls are more reactive.
Conclusion
What are network security threats? After reading this, you should be well-versed in what honeypots are in the network security world. Honeypots are great for detecting online threats, hackers, and unauthorized users quickly while also improving your security. This early detection can help your organization stay ahead of emerging threats. Our team of experts can help you customize and automate your network security and countermeasures, ensuring your organization remains protected in an ever-evolving threat landscape.