Deception technologies offer CISOs a powerful alternative to traditional defences: confusing, trapping, and exposing adversaries before real damage is done.
Cyber security has long been built on detection and prevention.
Firewalls block, endpoint tools alert, and analysts respond. But modern threat actors are patient, adaptive, and skilled at blending in, especially nation-state actors.
You’re out of free articles for this month
To continue reading the rest of this article, please log in.
Keep me signed in on this device.
If you check this box before you log in, you won’t have to log back into the website next time you return, even if you close your browser and come back later.
If you check the box above before you log in, you won’t have to log back into the website next time you return, even if you close your browser and come back later.
JavaScript is required for CAPTCHA verification to submit this form.
Create free account to get unlimited news articles and more!
First Name
Last Name
Mobile
Organisation Type
By becoming a member, I agree to receive information and promotional messages from Cyber Daily.
I can opt out of these communications at any time.
For more information, please visit our
Privacy Statement.
Need help signing up? Visit the
Help Centre.
Once inside a network, they can move quietly for weeks or months. For chief information security officers (CISOs), that reality is driving renewed interest in an old idea with a modern twist: deception.
Deception flips the traditional security model. Instead of focusing solely on keeping attackers out, it assumes a breach and focuses on detecting malicious behaviour early by luring attackers into controlled environments. Fake credentials, decoy systems, and simulated data create traps that legitimate users never touch – but attackers almost always do.
While attackers can evade signature-based tools and exploit misconfigurations, they struggle to distinguish real assets from decoys once inside a network. Interacting with a fake database or using a planted credential is a strong signal of malicious intent – and it generates high-fidelity alerts with minimal noise.
Modern deception technologies are far more sophisticated than the honeypots of the past. They integrate with identity systems, cloud platforms, and endpoint environments, creating realistic but isolated assets that mirror production systems. For security teams overwhelmed by alerts, deception offers something almost unique: confidence that an alert actually matters.
Beyond detection, deception also provides intelligence. By observing attacker behaviour inside decoy environments, organisations can learn how adversaries move, what tools they use, and what data they’re targeting. This insight can inform broader defensive strategies and improve response playbooks.
The economics of attack
Instead of allowing attackers to move freely once inside, deception slows them down, increases their workload, and raises the risk of exposure. Even sophisticated adversaries must probe and test – and deception turns that curiosity against them.
For CISOs, the true strategic value lies in integration. Deception works best when layered with existing controls, feeding signals into SIEM and SOAR platforms and triggering automated responses. It is not a replacement for foundational security techniques, but a force multiplier that enhances visibility and response times.
There are, however, considerations. Poorly designed deception can confuse defenders as much as attackers, and legal or ethical boundaries must be respected, particularly when simulating sensitive data. Governance and clear operating procedures are essential.
Think differently
Perhaps most importantly, however, deception supports a mindset shift. It acknowledges that breaches will occur and focuses on minimising the impact rather than pursuing 100 per cent prevention. That realism resonates with boards and executives, who are increasingly aware that cyber risk cannot be eliminated – only managed.
In a threat landscape dominated by stealth and speed, deception gives defenders a rare advantage: asymmetry.
By forcing attackers to reveal themselves on your terms, CISOs can reclaim time, insight, and control.
David Hollingworth
David Hollingworth has been writing about technology for over 20 years, and has worked for a range of print and online titles in his career. He is enjoying getting to grips with cyber security, especially when it lets him talk about Lego.
