A security professional has some spare time to do research on the corporate network and wants to set up a system configured to carefully monitor and log interactions. Which of the following should the security professional set up?

The correct choice is to set up a honeypot. A honeypot is a security resource that is designed to be attacked or compromised in order to study the activities and techniques used by malicious actors. By deploying a honeypot, the security professional can monitor and log all interactions with it, which aids in understanding attack vectors, methods of intrusion, and abnormal behavior patterns in a controlled environment.

Honeypots can be configured to simulate various services, applications, or vulnerabilities, allowing the researcher to capture and analyze real-time data about threats. This information is invaluable for strengthening the security posture of the corporate network, as it provides insights into both the methods of attackers and the effectiveness of existing defenses.

Other options, such as honeynets, decoy files, and simulators, also relate to security and monitoring, but each serves different purposes. While a honeynet consists of a network of honeypots that work together to capture a broader scope of attacks, it may be overkill for what the professional requires in terms of simplicity and focused logging. Decoy files are designed to mislead attackers into thinking they are interacting with valuable data, but they won’t capture the same detailed insights as a honeypot. Simulators could be useful