A honeypot is a cybersecurity mechanism that creates a virtual trap to lure attackers. It is a decoy system that is designed to mimic a legitimate target for hackers, such as a companys customer billing system, and uses their intrusion attempts to gain information about cybercriminals and the way they operate. Honeypots can be modeled after software, server infrastructure, or even an entire network to look convincing to cybercriminals. They are used to lure cybercriminals away from real digital assets and can be used to detect, deflect, and study hacking attempts to gain unauthorized access to information systems.

Honeypots are not set up to address a specific problem like a firewall or anti-virus. Instead, they are an information tool that can help organizations understand existing threats to their business and spot the emergence of new threats. With the intelligence obtained from a honeypot, security efforts can be prioritized and focused. Honeypots are also great training tools for technical security staff, as they provide a controlled and safe environment for showing how attackers work and examining different types of threats.

There are different types of honeypots, including research honeypots and production honeypots. Based on interaction, honeypots are classified into low interaction honeypots and high interaction honeypots. Low interaction honeypots simulate a limited number of services and activities to the hacker, while high interaction honeypots involve the real-time operating system and are more complex and costly to deploy.

In summary, a honeypot is a cybersecurity mechanism that uses a manufactured attack target to lure cybercriminals away from legitimate targets, and they are an important part of a comprehensive cybersecurity strategy.