A honeypot in cybersecurity is like a decoy or fake system set up to attract and catch hackers. It’s designed to look like a real computer or network that contains valuable information, but it’s actually just there to trick cybercriminals and study their actions.

Here’s how it works:

1. Appears Legitimate: A honeypot is made to look like a real, important system—like a server or database—that a hacker would want to break into. It’s set up with fake files, data, or weak spots to make it seem like a tempting target.
2. Draws in Hackers: When a hacker tries to break into the honeypot, security teams know right away because no one else should be using it. Any activity on the honeypot is usually suspicious or malicious.
3. Monitoring: While the hacker is interacting with the honeypot, security experts observe everything the hacker does. This helps them learn about the hacker’s tools, techniques, and methods of attack.
4. Learning and Protection: The data collected from the honeypot helps cybersecurity experts understand threats better, allowing them to strengthen real systems against future attacks.

So, a honeypot is basically a trap for hackers that helps security teams gather valuable information while keeping real systems protected.