Advancing Cybersecurity with Honeypots and Deception Strategies

Cybersecurity threats are becoming more intricate, requiring preemptive actions to safeguard digital assets. This paper examines the function of honeypots as critical instruments for threat detection, analysis, and mitigation. A novel methodology for comparative analysis of honeypots is presented, offering a systematic framework to assess their efficacy. Seven honeypot solutions, namely Dionaea, Cowrie, Honeyd, Kippo, Amun, Glastopf, and Thug, are analyzed, encompassing various categories, including SSH and HTTP honeypots. The solutions are assessed via simulated network attacks and comparative analyses based on established criteria, including detection range, reliability, scalability, and data integrity. Dionaea and Cowrie exhibited remarkable versatility and precision, whereas Honeyd revealed scalability benefits despite encountering data quality issues. The research emphasizes the smooth incorporation of honeypots with current security protocols, including firewalls and incident response strategies, while offering comprehensive insights into attackers’ tactics, techniques, and procedures (TTPs). Emerging trends are examined, such as incorporating machine learning for adaptive detection and creating cloud-based honeypots. Recommendations for optimizing honeypot deployment include strategic placement, comprehensive monitoring, and ongoing updates. This research provides a detailed framework for selecting and implementing honeypots customized to organizational requirements.