PacketViper’s Strategic Use of Deceptive Attack Surfaces to Strengthen Cyber-Physical Defense

PacketViper’s Strategic Use of Deceptive Attack Surfaces to Strengthen Cyber-Physical Defense

PacketViper’s Strategic Use of Deceptive Attack Surfaces to Strengthen Cyber-Physical Defense 

PacketViper’s deception-based security strategy intentionally increases the perceived attack surface in both Operational Technology (OT) and Information Technology (IT) environments to protect real critical assets. By strategically deploying realistic yet false targets, PacketViper lures, misdirects, and engages adversaries while reducing the actual attack surface. 

Intentional Increase of the Perceived Attack Surface 

OT and IT Environments: PacketViper deploys deceptive responders (decoys) and sirens to mimic high value assets: - OT Devices: PLCs, HMIs, SCADA systems, RTUs, and modbus-enabled devices. - IT Services: VPN logins, SSH, RDP, email servers, web apps, cloud portals, and SQL servers. 

This expansion makes networks appear larger and more complex, obscuring legitimate services and traffic. 

Luring and Distracting Adversaries 

Decoys are designed to attract unauthorized scans and connections, diverting attackers from production systems. By denying consistent intelligence, PacketViper disrupts reconnaissance, making network mapping difficult and unreliable for adversaries. 

Early Engagement and Intelligence Gathering 

When attackers interact with deception assets—such as DR ID login prompts—PacketViper: - Captures credentials and attempted logins. - Blocks the source immediately at wire speed. - Alerts incident response with applied intelligence, providing context on attacker tools and methods. 

Dynamic Deception with AMTD 

PacketViper’s Automated Moving Target Defense (AMTD) continuously alters deceptive elements, creating an unpredictable and shifting environment: - Internal deception frustrates insider threats and lateral movement. - External deception thwarts persistent reconnaissance and makes gathered intelligence obsolete. 


Automated Detection and Containment

  1. Detect malicious activity on a decoy or sensor.

  2. Generate a local blacklist rule on the detecting unit.

  3. Propagate the block to all PacketViper units via the CMU.


This immediate action reduces dwell time and prevents further progression into the network.



Benefits for Both IT and OT Environments 

For OT: - Shields unpatchable legacy devices without disrupting operations. - Stops lateral movement within control networks. - Extends visibility to remote and unmanaged sites. - Integrates with OT protocols (e.g., modbus) for direct alarm delivery. 

For IT: - Detects and blocks insider and supply-chain threats early. - Protects internet-facing assets from reconnaissance and exploitation. - Reduces firewall and SIM load, lowering costs and improving performance. - Strengthens Zero Trust enforcement without added complexity. 

Ultimate Objective: Reduce the Actual Attack Surface 

By growing a deceptive layer rather than real exposure, PacketViper: - Reduces exploitable vulnerabilities. - Confuses and delays attackers. - Exhausts adversary resources. - Improves incident response speed and precision. 

Key Supporting Technologies 

  • OT Remote (RSU) – Rugged, din-mounted, autonomous enforcement for OT. 

  • Deception360 – Multi-environment deception platform delivering AMTD. 

  • DR ID – Captures and analyzes credential-based attacks

  • Sirens – Simulated live traffic to authenticate deception environments.  

  • AMTD – Automated Moving Target Defense