CISA Advises Critical Infrastructure Operators to Use Cyber Decoys
Summary
CISA released a 22-page guide advising critical infrastructure operators to use decoy systems, accounts, and data to detect and distract intruders who have gained network access.
Key points
- CISA’s guide, “Using Cyber Decoys to Strengthen Detection and Response,” is aimed at critical infrastructure owners and operators.
- Decoys are intended to help detect adversaries who have already gained access to a network.
- Examples include honeytokens: fake records, credentials, or files with no legitimate business use that can reveal unauthorized access or exfiltration.
- CISA says decoys can complement zero-trust and assume-compromise strategies.
- The agency presents decoys as a potentially low-cost option, including for defensive teams with limited resources.
Article Details
- Event Type
- CISA released guidance recommending cyber decoys for critical infrastructure operators.
- Impact
- Cyber decoys, including fake systems, accounts, and data, can help detect and distract intruders who have already gained network access. The guidance presents them as a low-cost complement to zero-trust and assume-compromise defenses, including against living-off-the-land techniques.