What Is a Honeypot?

In cybersecurity, a honeypot is a mechanism set up to lure in hackers by pretending to be something more important. Sometimes, such mechanisms consist of entire computer systems set aside for that single purpose, whereas other times, such mechanisms can consist of virtual machines and even isolated segments of data. Whatever its exact nature, a honeypot is monitored for the purpose of providing advance warning, thus enabling Ottawa businesses to better protect their networks when combined with other cybersecurity measures such as managed network services from the right Ottawa IT companies. Better still, it can even enhance the effects of the different forms of Ottawa network support for even better results than otherwise possible.

How Can a Honeypot Help You Protect Your Network?

First, honeypots are the best warning systems that Ottawa businesses can have even when they have managed network services backing them up. After all, honeypots are made to be attractive targets, meaning that hackers are much likelier to target them than the real components of a business’s network. However, since honeypots have no purpose besides being targeted, any activity on them should be cause for alarm, thus enabling Ottawa businesses to start preparing a response with the assistance of Ottawa IT companies. By combining timeliness with Ottawa network support, Ottawa businesses can reduce the consequences than if they had been caught by total surprise.

Second, honeypots offer useful protection from new and unknown threats, whether these consist of new malware or zero-day vulnerabilities in hardware and software. This is because even the best Ottawa IT companies cannot offer protection from the full range of threats out there without knowing about them ahead of time, meaning that honeypot can offer Ottawa businesses much-needed information about the threats that are beleaguering them so that they can mount a more effective response.

Third, one of the biggest problems with even the best Ottawa network support is that it can have problems spotting potential threats coming from within the network, within the firewall protecting said network, and possessing legitimate credentials. Fortunately, there is no reason for anyone to be accessing honeypots, meaning that any activity on them can provide the people running managed network services with a place to start focusing their efforts.

Fourth, honeypots are a potential solution to the problem of false alerts, which can eat up enormous amounts of time even when Ottawa businesses have entrusted their cybersecurity to providers of managed network services. Better still, honeypots can serve to confuse hackers once they have managed to break into a business’s network, meaning that they can provide Ottawa businesses with more time to call in help in the form of Ottawa network support. In this manner, honeypots enable businesses to make the most efficient use of the limited cybersecurity resources that are available to them.

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Ottawa businesses curious about the potential of honeypots should contact Ottawa IT companies for further information sooner rather than later. The sooner that they have this additional layer of defense for their networks, the sooner that they will be able to enjoy their increased peace of mind.