SSH Honeypots and Walkthrough Workshops: A History
History and creative engineering of Cowrie-based SSH honeypot challenges and interactive puzzles at DEF CON Walkthrough Workshops.
Summary
Origins of the Walkthrough Workshops
At DEF CON 24, an open-network SSH honeypot puzzle sparked the creation of the Packet Hacking Village Walkthrough Workshops. While the workshops eventually moved away from Cowrie, interactive honeypots shaped the design of subsequent village challenges.
Customizing Cowrie SSH Honeypots
While Cowrie operates as a medium-interaction SSH honeypot by default, custom engineering can substantially increase the level of interaction. The session reviews modifications developed over several years, including custom commands, terminal adventure games, and simulated file systems structured as spatial cubes to challenge participants.
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