One of the most promising aspects of cyber deception is its potential to impose cost on adversaries. By forcing attackers to spend time and resources navigating false environments, chasing fake credentials, or second-guessing their access, cyber deception can slow down attacks and increase the likelihood of detection. This aligns with broader national resilience goals by making the UK a harder, more expensive target.
Cyber deception isn’t new, but neither is it widely used, and that’s a missed opportunity. When done well, it can provide early warning of attacks, generate high-quality intelligence, and shape how our adversaries operate. But it’s not a magic fix; it requires planning, strategy, and support. That’s where we believe the NCSC can help, by providing guidance, building confidence, and helping the UK to make the most of this powerful tool.
Cyber deception, observability and threat hunting are all part of a modern, layered defence strategy. Together, they help organisations not only detect threats, but understand and respond to them more effectively. Beyond detection and intelligence, cyber deception can also impose cost on adversaries, disrupting their operations, wasting their time, and undermining their confidence. This kind of friction is valuable at both organisational and national levels, helping to shift the economics of cyber attacks in our favour.
We’ll continue to share what we learn. In the meantime, if you’re successfully using cyber deception, or experimenting with it, we’d love to hear from you at [email protected].
