HONEYPOTS

September 03, 2012

In this HACKING class I'll tell you about Honeypots. In computer terminology, a honeypot is a trap set to detect, deflect, or in some manner counteract attempts at
unauthorized use of information systems. Generally it consists of a computer, data, or a network site that appears to be part of a network, but is actually isolated and monitored, and which seems to contain information or a resource of value to attackers.

Unlike firewalls or Intrusion Detection Systems, honeypots do not solve a specific problem. Instead, they are a highly flexible tool that comes in many shapes and sizes. They can do everything from detecting encrypted attacks in IPv6 networks to capturing the latest in on-line credit card fraud. Its is this flexibility that gives honeypots their true power. It is also this flexibility that can make them challenging to define and understand.

Honeypots can be classified based on their deployment and based on their level of involvement.

Production Honeypots
Research Honeypots

Based on the design criteria, honeypots can be classified into three categories as

Pure honeypots
High interaction honeypots
Low interaction honeypots

Low-Interaction Honeypot:- Low-interaction honeypots have limited interaction, they normally work by emulating services and operating systems. Attacker activity is limited to the level of emulation by the honeypot. These honeypots tend to be easier to deploy and maintain, with minimal risk. Examples of low-interaction honeypots include Specter, Honeyd, and KFSensor.

High-Interaction Honeypot:- High-interaction honeypots are different, they are usually complex solutions as they involve real operating systems and applications. Nothing is emulated, we give attackers the real thing. The advantages with such a solution are two fold. First, you can capture extensive amounts of information. By giving attackers real systems to interact with, you can learn the full extent of their behavior.

How Honeypots Work?

This fake vulnerability attracts any hacker towards it & he would try to compromise it. The Honeypot will itself stores the data regarding how hacker is trying to break it, what tools he might be using, his intentions, keystrokes and many such things.