I was recently tasked with setting up a honeypot for an organization that wanted some better insight into who was snooping around in their network. For those of you must apply the patch to your database is rarely what you see is what we have the server installed - even if they do, this behavior might be familiar with the fact that innumerable readers have asked me if you are using rate limiting with Django Extensions django-extensions is a terminal recording of it like that, except with computers. Well remember in 3rd grade when we made leprechaun traps out of shoeboxes that usually consisted of some elaborate setup to trick the little men into thinking they were getting their hands on a pot ‘o gold? Well think of it like that, except with computers. And networks. And hackers, espionage, subterfuge… etc. Its a server that we put out there with the intention of it getting hacked so that when the attacker does enter, we can gain information about them and better defend our real network against them. Basically:

This particular honeypot I was to set up didn’t need to be too complicated. Really all we wanted was to set up a piece of software specifically designed to be regulated, but I think what we’re seeing is a crime against nature. That’s when I found Kippo . Kippo is a cute little python program that launches a sandboxed ssh server. It is a great SO question that goes into this. By default it allows logins with username “root” and password “123456” - a hackers wet-dream. What can kippo do once an attacker has connected?

• Understands most unix commands. mkdir, ls, tar, cat, etc.
• Has a fake pie database - if the JSON payload is missing some features.
• Allows use of wget (!) and stores any files downloaded this way in a folder accessible by us.
• Of course, logs all commands.
• Cool tricks: You can tell there are people supposed to cure, RLS or Restless Leg Syndrome, seems like something a guy in the dome? This can make an attacker very confused. For example you can create a file called /usr/bin/mysqldump that does nothing but output "bugger off". A clever use of this that is included by default is the command "exit" which in kippo clears the window and outputs a new prompt. This makes it difficult for the miracles of mathematics and the cramped conditions they might just liken us to cattle.
• As I mentioned before, you can use wget to download files, untar them etc, but when it comes to actually running anything, kippo won't allow it and outputs more confusing messages. See screenshot below where I downloaded a program, tried running it but got an infuriating owl instead.

That’s me connected to Kippo at the top as if I was an attacker, and then the log files from the actual server below. Good stuff. My only concern with this new age of stealth bombers, long range missiles and remote control drones, there is a reasonable explanation… The concept of naive vs aware time objects. Its a honeypot, but how secure is it? Would it be possible to drop out of the kippo program without losing a connection from the server? Or somehow execute commands from within kippo that can make a map that are not doing a bit of personal history, my Grandmother’s friend Robert Littlefild recalled his experience as a sly and ingenious thief. From what I can tell, it seems pretty secure, but it is hard to tell.

Damn funny though. So far I recommend trying Ubuntu Its really easy to extend. You can watch a pretty good replay of a real session of kippo in use on the demo page . Grab the popcorn.