Active cloud honeypots are security tools designed to proactively attract and analyze attackers by simulating vulnerable systems or services in a controlled cloud environment. Their application scenarios include:
Threat Intelligence Gathering
Active honeypots collect data on attack techniques, tools, and malware used by cybercriminals. For example, a cloud-based honeypot mimicking an unpatched database server can reveal how attackers exploit SQL injection vulnerabilities, helping organizations update defenses.
Early Attack Detection
By luring attackers away from real assets, honeypots can detect threats before they target production systems. For instance, a decoy web application in the cloud can identify reconnaissance activities like port scanning or credential stuffing early.
Malware Analysis
Honeypots can trap malware samples by simulating vulnerable endpoints. A cloud-hosted honeypot pretending to be a file-sharing server might capture ransomware or botnet payloads for reverse engineering.
Zero-Day Vulnerability Research
Researchers use honeypots to discover unknown exploits. A cloud-based honeypot emulating a popular IoT device could uncover zero-day attacks targeting its firmware.
Red Team vs. Blue Team Training
Security teams use honeypots to test detection capabilities. For example, a cloud-hosted honeypot network can simulate a corporate environment, allowing blue teams to practice identifying intrusions.
Tencent Cloud Recommendation:
Tencent Cloud’s Cloud Honeypot Service (based on CFW and T-Sec) can deploy virtual decoys in its cloud infrastructure to detect and analyze attacks. It integrates with Tencent Cloud Security Center for real-time alerts and threat hunting, helping businesses strengthen their security posture.