Peter, an administrator, installs a web server on the Internet that performs credit card transactions for customer payments. Peter also sets up a second web server that looks like the first web server. However, the second server contains fabricated files and folders made to look like payments were processed on this server but really were not. Which of the following is the second server?
A. DMZ B. Honeynet C. VLAN D. Honeypot
Answer: D
Explanation: In this scenario, the second web server is a ‘fake’ webserver designed to attract attacks. We can then monitor the second server to view the attacks and then ensure that the ‘real’ web server is secure against such attacks. The second web server is a honeypot.
A honeypot is a system whose purpose it is to be attacked. An administrator can watch and study the attack to research current attack methodologies.
According to the Wepopedia.com, a Honeypot luring a hacker into a system has several main purposes:
The administrator can watch the hacker exploit the vulnerabilities of the system, thereby learning where the system has weaknesses that need to be redesigned. The hacker can be caught and stopped while trying to obtain root access to the system. By studying the activities of hackers, designers can better create more secure systems that are potentially invulnerable to future hackers.
There are two main types of honeypots: Production – A production honeypot is one used within an organization’s environment to help mitigate risk. Research – A research honeypot add value to research in computer security by providing a