• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to footer

Cisco Umbrella

Enterprise network security

  • Contact Sales
  • Login
    • Umbrella Login
    • Cloudlock Login
  • Why Us
    • Why Cisco Umbrella
      • Why Try Umbrella
      • Why DNS Security
      • Why Umbrella SASE
      • Our Customers
      • Customer Stories
      • Why Cisco Secure
    • Fast Reliable Cloud
      • Global Cloud Architecture
      • Cloud Network Status
      • Global Cloud Network Activity
    • Unmatched Intelligence
      • A New Approach to Cybersecurity
      • Interactive Intelligence
      • Cyber Attack Prevention
      • Umbrella and Cisco Talos Threat Intelligence
    • Extensive Integrations
      • IT Security Integrations
      • Hardware Integrations
      • Meraki Integration
      • Cisco Umbrella and SecureX
  • Products
    • Cisco Umbrella Products
      • Cisco Umbrella Cloud Security Service
      • Recursive DNS Services
      • Cisco Umbrella SIG
      • Umbrella Investigate
      • What’s New
    • Product Packages
      • Cisco Umbrella Package Comparison
      • – DNS Security Essentials Package
      • – DNS Security Advantage Package
      • – SIG Essentials Package
      • – SIG Advantage Package
      • Umbrella Support Packages
    • Functionality
      • DNS-Layer Security
      • Secure Web Gateway
      • Cloud Access Security Broker (CASB)
      • Cloud Data Loss Prevention (DLP)
      • Cloud-Delivered Firewall
      • Cloud Malware Protection
      • Remote Browser Isolation (RBI)
    • Man on a laptop with headphones on. He is attending a Cisco Umbrella Live Demo
  • Solutions
    • SASE & SSE Solutions
      • Cisco Umbrella SASE
      • Secure Access Service Edge (SASE)
      • What is SASE
      • What is Security Service Edge (SSE)
    • Functionality Solutions
      • Web Content Filtering
      • Secure Direct Internet Access
      • Shadow IT Discovery & App Blocking
      • Fast Incident Response
      • Unified Threat Management
      • Protect Mobile Users
      • Securing Remote and Roaming Users
    • Network Solutions
      • Guest Wi-Fi Security
      • SD-WAN Security
      • Off-Network Endpoint Security
    • Industry Solutions
      • Government and Public Sector Cybersecurity
      • Financial Services Security
      • Cybersecurity for Manufacturing
      • Higher Education Security
      • K-12 Schools Security
      • Healthcare, Retail and Hospitality Security
      • Enterprise Cloud Security
      • Small Business Cybersecurity
  • Resources
    • Content Library
      • Top Resources
      • Cybersecurity Webinars
      • Events
      • Research Reports
      • Case Studies
      • Videos
      • Datasheets
      • eBooks
      • Solution Briefs
    • International Documents
      • Deutsch/German
      • Español/Spanish
      • Français/French
      • Italiano/Italian
      • 日本語/Japanese
    • For Customers
      • Support
      • Customer Success Webinars
      • Cisco Umbrella Studio
    • Get the 2022 Cloud Scurity Comparison Guide
  • Trends & Threats
    • Market Trends
      • Hybrid Workforce
      • Rise of Remote Workers
      • Secure Internet Gateway (SIG)
    • Security Threats
      • How to Stop Phishing Attacks
      • Malware Detection and Protection
      • Ransomware is on the Rise
      • Cryptomining Malware Protection
      • Cybersecurity Threat Landscape
      • Global Cyber Threat Intelligence
      • Cyber Threat Categories and Definitions
    •  
    • Woman connecting confidently to any device anywhere
  • Partners
    • Channel Partners
      • Partner Program
      • Become a Partner
    • Service Providers
      • Secure Connectivity
      • Managed Security for MSSPs
      • Managed IT for MSPs
    •  
    • Person looking down at laptop. They are connecting and working securely
  • Blog
    • News & Product Posts
      • Latest Posts
      • Products & Services
      • Customer Focus
      • Feature Spotlight
    • Cybersecurity Posts
      • Security
      • Threats
      • Cybersecurity Threat Spotlight
      • Research
    •  
    • Register for a webinar - with illustration of connecting securely to the cloud
  • Contact Us
  • Umbrella Login
  • Cloudlock Login
  • Free Trial
Spotlight

Researchers Sweet on Honeypots at Blackhat USA

By Kara Drapala
Posted on August 6, 2015
Updated on March 18, 2020

Share

FacebookTweetLinkedIn

True to their name, honeypots are traps designed to lure hackers into attacking a server or system as defenders gather information about their methods. According to SANS, honeypots are “setup to be easier prey for intruders than true production systems but with minor system modifications so that their activity can be logged or traced.” These traps often produce a wealth of knowledge security professionals can use to strengthen their defenses.
Despite the great advantage they provide, however, honeypots are not deployed as widely as the once were. Defenders are busier than ever, and honeypots are complex—specifically, they’re difficult to deploy quickly. As Greg Martin from ThreatStream explained in an article he wrote last week for Power Magazine, “Many organizations see honeypots as too complicated to launch and manage over time, and view them primarily as a tool for security researchers.”
Honeypots also offer only a limited use case. Lance Spitzer of WindowSecurity.com elaborates on this problem. “Honeypots all share one huge drawback; they are worthless if no one attacks them. Yes, they can accomplish wonderful things, but if the attacker does not send any packets to the honeypot, the honeypot will be blissfully unaware of any unauthorized activity.”
Haroon Meer, founder and researcher at Thinkst, says honeypots can be a useful tool to be proactive in an era known for large-scale breaches of security. As the public becomes more aware of these security breaches, companies involved need quicker disclosure. Meer says honeypots could be a huge help toward that effort. “We need honeypots to come back because we can’t have people finding out they’re breached because Brian Krebs writes about it,” Meer said during a presentation at BlackHat USA 2015.
Meer and his presenting partner Marco Slaviero explained that–in addition to the reasons above–honeypots have fallen out of favor for not being “preventative” security solutions. In a cyber arms race, they said, defenders are falling too far behind in terms of tools available. “It’s not an arms race, we’ve already lost,” Meer said. “Just look at OPM.” Honeypots, he explained could be a tool that makes the arms race more competitive.
According to Slaviero and Meer, honeypots are a great addition to any organization’s security posture as “even one alert from a honeypot is valuable.” To prove this value, the two created an enterprise tool called Canary, a series of honeypots that send notifications when attackers hit them. These “canaries” are also specifically designed to entice an attacker to explore further, giving defenders a better profile of who they are dealing with. The pair also discussed the open source version, OpenCanary. OpenCanary is a low-interaction honeypot, which reduces risk and makes it easier to deploy, as it does not use a real OS or applications.
Honeypots are a good idea Slaviero and Meer said, just “largely ignored by the industry.” With the advent of a new tool like Canary and OpenCanary, this may soon change. As Spitzer commented in his article, “honeypots will not solve an organization’s security problems. Only best practices can do that. However, honeypots may be a tool to help contribute to those best practices.”

Previous Post:

Previous Article

Next Post:

Next Article

Follow Us

  • Twitter
  • Facebook
  • LinkedIn
  • YouTube

Footer Sections

What we make

  • Cloud Security Service
  • DNS-Layer Network Security
  • Secure Web Gateway
  • Security Packages

Who we are

  • Global Cloud Architecture
  • Cloud Network Status
  • Cloud Network Activity
  • OpenDNS is now Umbrella
  • Cisco Umbrella Blog

Learn more

  • Webinars
  • Careers
  • Support
  • Cisco Umbrella Live Demo
  • Contact Sales
Umbrella by Cisco
208.67.222.222+208.67.220.220
2620:119:35::35+2620:119:53::53
Sign up for a Free Trial
  • Cisco Online Privacy Statement
  • Terms of Service
  • Sitemap

© 2023 Cisco Umbrella