Usefulness of Honeypots Towards Data Security: A Systematic Literature Review

The increasing data volume given by the exponential growth of digital devices, cloud platforms, and the Internet of Things (IOT) had become an attractive target for attackers. This makes the search for innovative defense mechanisms intensified leading to a renewed focus on the utilization of honeypots to improve data security. This Systematic Literature Review (SLR) examines the usage and contributions of honeypots in data security field across diverse sectors and environments. Analyzing 38 selected articles from 2018 to 2023, the study highlights the growing adoption of honeypots as tools for detecting and preventing data breaches, exfiltration, and other security incidents. Our finding found that honeypots, with their deceptive capabilities, have proven could be deployed in sectors like healthcare, cloud computing, and industrial control systems and effective in detection and prevention data breaches, exfiltration, and other data breaches, making them as a crucial tool in the data security protection. The future of honeypots lies in their integration with machine learning and AI, to predict and counteract sophisticated. Moreover, evolving honeypots into tools for deterrence and corrective action opens new avenues for cybersecurity strategies. Their ability to act as deterrents by increasing perceived risks for attackers, coupled with their role in aiding recovery from data breaches through detailed forensic analysis, positions honeypots as a cornerstone in the development of resilient data security frameworks. This study paves the way for a more adaptive, proactive, and comprehensive approach to data security, highlighting the indispensable role of honeypots in the ever-evolving landscape of cybersecurity.