A honeypot is a security mechanism that serves as a decoy to attract and trap individuals attempting unauthorized or illicit activities. It is designed to mimic a real system that appears vulnerable and valuable to attackers. The primary purpose of a honeypot is to distract attackers from legitimate targets, gather intelligence on attack strategies and behavior, and ultimately improve the overall security posture by learning from the attacks it captures.

Attraction: The honeypot presents itself as an attractive target to potential attackers by simulating vulnerabilities.

Engagement: Once the attackers engage with the honeypot, their activities are monitored and logged without their knowledge.

Analysis: The data collected from these interactions is then analyzed to understand attack patterns, techniques, and goals.

Improvement: This intelligence is used to enhance security measures, such as updating firewall rules or improving intrusion detection systems.

References:

The EC-Council’s Certified SOC Analyst (CSA) program includes training on various security technologies, including honeypots, as part of its curriculum to prepare individuals for roles in Security Operations Centers (SOC)1.

EC-Council’s resources on cybersecurity also provide detailed explanations of honeypots, their purposes, and their implementation within a cybersecurity framework2.

Additionally, the role of a SOC Analyst often involves understanding and potentially deploying honeypots as part of a broader security strategy3.