Fortifying cyber frontlines: The essential role of deception

In today's rapidly evolving threat landscape, traditional defence mechanisms are proving inadequate. As cyber adversaries become more sophisticated, the need for innovative and proactive defence strategies has never been more critical. This presentation will explore the pivotal role of deception in enhancing defence, providing detailed research and lessons learnt from operating tens of millions of decoys.

1. The Importance of Deception for Early Detection: I will begin by highlighting the crucial role of deception in early threat detection. By deploying decoys aka honeypots organisations can create a false sense of opportunity for attackers. These decoys act as early indicators, catching malicious activity before it reaches real or critical assets. This section will delve into how deception techniques can provide valuable time to respond to threats, significantly reducing the potential damage from attacks. Sharing of the different types of decoys, effectiveness, and stories will illustrate the effectiveness of deception in detecting threats at an early stage.
2. The Diminishing Effectiveness of Traditional Threat Intelligence: Next, the presentation will address the limitations of current threat intelligence approaches. As threat actors increasingly use the same intelligence sources as cybersecurity professionals, they can quickly adapt and evade detection. This section will argue that traditional threat intelligence is becoming less effective in the face of rapidly evolving threats. We will explore how adversaries exploit these intelligence sources, rendering many conventional detection methods obsolete. Integration and automated workflow examples will be shared to supplement and enhance traditional threat intelligence, showcasing how deception can be integrated into existing SOC’s.
3. Sharing Data Collected from Tens of Millions of Decoys: This section will focus on sharing the insights, patterns, and lessons learnt from operating tens of millions of decoys over 2 years. The decoys include cloud and non-cloud, and many different types of applications and infrastructure. Attendees will learn how different decoys can be effective for different types of adversaries.
4. Strategic Placement of Decoys for Maximum Effectiveness: The final section of the presentation will provide practical guidance on where to place decoys for optimal detection of different adversaries. Attendees will learn about the strategic deployment of decoys in high-traffic areas, critical infrastructure points, and common entry paths used by attackers. The concepts of decoy diversification and chaining will be introduced, explaining how different types of decoys can be chained together and used to cover a wide range of attack vectors. This section will also emphasise the importance of continuous monitoring and adaptation, ensuring that decoy strategies remain effective in the face of evolving threats.

By the end of this presentation, attendees will have a thorough understanding of why deception is an essential component of modern cybersecurity strategies. They will gain practical insights into deploying and managing their own decoys, enhancing their ability to detect and mitigate cyber threats proactively. This session aims to equip cybersecurity professionals with the knowledge and tools needed to fortify their defences and stay ahead of adversaries in the ever-changing battlefield we face.