The Honeynet Project

The Honeynet Project is an international 501(c)(3) non-profit security research organization founded in 1999 and incorporated in Illinois. The organization is staffed entirely by volunteers and operates with chapters around the world. Its core mission is to study the tools, tactics, and motives involved in computer and network attacks, and to share findings openly with the public. This is accomplished through three primary activities: research, awareness, and open-source tool development. On the research side, volunteers analyze attacker behavior, malware, and attack methodologies, publishing findings via "Know Your Enemy" whitepapers, blog posts, and Scan of the Month challenges. The organization has contributed to efforts against notable malware campaigns such as Conficker, and provides insight into attacker motives, communication methods, attack timing, and post-compromise behavior. For tool development, The Honeynet Project has produced and distributed numerous open-source security tools, including Cuckoo (malware analysis sandbox), Honeyd, Honeywall, Glastopf, Capture-HPC, and HoneyC. These tools are used by businesses and government agencies globally. The organization also participates in Google Summer of Code (GSoC) to expand its tool development efforts. The awareness pillar focuses on educating the public and security community about current threats and vulnerabilities, helping individuals and organizations understand risks and appropriate mitigations. Funding is accepted from private and public sector organizations, individuals, and non-profits, with the condition that all research outputs remain freely available to the public. Current sponsors include DigitalOcean, Duo, VirusTotal, and VMware.