Decoy · Device
Elasticsearch decoy
Search clusters often hold copies of customer data and logs, and exposed ones are a common source of leaks. This decoy poses as es-data-01, an Elasticsearch node with its HTTP API and cluster port.
What it emulates
Poses as: Elasticsearch cluster.
It records every request to the API, such as listing indices or searching, and every username and password sent.
- SSH 22
Records every username, password and key fingerprint tried, then refuses them. Disconnects after six tries.
- Elasticsearch 9200
The Elasticsearch HTTP API. Records every request, such as cluster health, index listing and searches, and every username and password sent. Answers with a sign-in requirement.
- ES transport 9300
Accepts the connection and records the first bytes sent. It does not speak the protocol yet.
What it catches
Every touch, explained in plain English.
Each event gets a plain-English explanation. Related events from the same source become one incident with a recommended action.
- Index listing and search requests, a sign of data theft
- Username and password guessing on the API
- Known exploit payloads sent to the API
- Port scans across the cluster
MITRE ATT&CK
Techniques come from a fixed table, not from AI, so the same activity always maps the same way.
- T1046Network Service Discovery
- T1059Command and Scripting Interpreter
- T1110Brute Force
- T1190Exploit Public-Facing Application
- T1552.001Unsecured Credentials: Credentials In Files
- T1552.005Unsecured Credentials: Cloud Instance Metadata API
Incidents go to email, Slack, your SIEM or a signed webhook. Kandaro and your SOC
Safe by design
Built to be attacked. Never a way in.
A decoy only listens and answers with fake data. It never runs code and only connects out to Kandaro, so it can never become a way into your network.
It runs nothing
The sensor has no way to run a command, load code or update itself. Every command an intruder types gets a fake text answer.
It connects to one place only
Its only outbound connection is HTTPS to the Kandaro API address set at install time. Nothing Kandaro sends can change that address.
Kandaro can only send it settings
Which decoy to imitate, which services to turn off, which addresses to ignore. There is no field for code, files, commands or updates.
It holds no real secrets
Passwords, keys and records it shows are fake. Its only credential is its own key, which can send events for your organisation and nothing more.
It cannot be used to attack others
It never forwards traffic, never fetches a URL and never serves scripts or programs. Its only UDP replies (SNMP) are rate-limited per address.
Non-root, read-only container with signed images. How we secure sensors
Where to put it
Place it where an intruder will look.
Put it in the data or logging network, next to your real search and log clusters.
Installs in about a minute with Docker, Kubernetes, Ansible, a VM or a Raspberry Pi, and needs outbound HTTPS only. Deployment guide · Where to put your first decoys
FAQ
Elasticsearch decoy questions
Does it hold any indices?
Is it safe to run on my network?
Related decoys
Pair it with these.
- device
MongoDB
MongoDB database server
A MongoDB server that serves endless fake documents to anyone pulling data.
SSH 22MongoDB 27017 - device
Redis
Redis cache server
A Redis server on its usual port, plus SSH. Catches scanners looking for open caches.
SSH 22Redis 6379 - app
Grafana
Grafana dashboards
A monitoring server whose data sources hold database passwords.
SSH 22Grafana 3000
Put this decoy on your network today.
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