What purpose do honeypots serve in cybersecurity?

Honeypots serve a critical role in cybersecurity by acting as decoys designed specifically to attract cyber attackers. The primary purpose of a honeypot is to create an environment where attackers believe they have found a vulnerable target. By doing so, cybersecurity professionals can observe and analyze the methods and techniques employed by these attackers. This insight is vital for understanding emerging threats, vulnerabilities, and attack vectors, allowing for the development of more robust defensive strategies.

When attackers engage with a honeypot, valuable data can be gathered on their tactics, techniques, and procedures (TTPs). This information assists security teams in identifying weaknesses within their actual operational systems and enhances their ability to detect and respond to legitimate attacks. Thus, the activity surrounding honeypots is not aimed at increasing network performance, providing legitimate services, or securing data through encryption, but rather at learning from the behavior of attackers to improve overall security postures.