What is a honeypot used for in cybersecurity?

A honeypot in cybersecurity serves the purpose of attracting and monitoring intruders. It is a decoy system or resource intentionally deployed to lure attackers and deceive them into believing they are accessing legitimate data or systems. By doing so, organizations can gather valuable intelligence about attack methods, techniques, and targets without jeopardizing their actual assets. This information can then be used to enhance security measures and defenses.

The key aspect of a honeypot is its ability to simulate vulnerabilities while being isolated from the actual production environment. This means that while attackers think they are breaching a genuine system, they are actually being observed, allowing cybersecurity professionals to analyze their behavior, tactics, and tools. This proactive approach helps in fortifying the organization against real threats by learning from the interactions with the honeypot.