Researchers from the University of Texas at Dallas have created a new method that tricks hackers to learn from them. The method is called DEEP-Dig, DEcEPtion DIGging. According to the White House Council of Economic Advisers, cyberattacks cost the U.S. economy more than $57 billion in 2016.
When a hacker attempts to hack a site, DEEP-Dig leads hackers into a decoy site using deception technology so the computer can learn about their tactics. The information gathered by the system can be used to train computers to recognize and stop future attacks.
Most cybersecurity systems block hackers out completely. While this works, it results in a shortage in data that is needed to train computers to detect intruders. The better the data is, the better a system will be at detecting attacks.
DEEP-Dig found that hackers typically start with simple tricks and then start to use increasingly sophisticated tactics. With DEEP-Dig hackers enter a decoy site stocked with misinformation. Hackers think they have been successful, while the program gathers data on their tactics. As their tactics change, DEEP-Dig could help cyberdefense systems keep up with hackers.
A paper on this method was presented at Hawaii International Conference of System Sciences.
