Certified Cloud Security Professional (CCSP) Practice Exam

What is a honeypot used for in network security?

1. A computer, data, or network site designed to attract and monitor attackers

2. A protocol extension that adds security to DNS responses

3. A set of connected cloud infrastructures for load balancing

4. A model for converged networking optimized for cloud deployments

The correct answer is: A computer, data, or network site designed to attract and monitor attackers

A honeypot is indeed a computer, data, or network site specifically designed to attract and monitor attackers. Its primary purpose is to create a decoy that emulates legitimate systems, enticing malicious actors to engage with it. This engagement allows security professionals to observe attack methods, understand vulnerabilities, and gather intelligence on threat actors without putting the actual systems at risk. By analyzing the data collected from these interactions, organizations can enhance their security posture and improve their incident response strategies. In contrast, the other options involve different concepts unrelated to honeypots. For instance, the protocol extension enhancing DNS responses focuses on improving security in domain name resolution rather than attracting attackers. The mention of connected cloud infrastructures relates to load balancing, which is about distributing workloads across multiple resources for performance, rather than security. Lastly, the model for converged networking pertains to the integration of various networking technologies to optimize cloud operations, again not directly relevant to the function of a honeypot in monitoring attacks.