Introducing Respotter: Your Reliable Responder HoneyPot

Author: Baden

October 5, 2023

In the ever-evolving world of cybersecurity, staying ahead of potential threats is paramount. One such threat is the presence of malicious responders on your network. Enter Respotter, a reliable and simple Responder HoneyPot tool designed to help you detect and respond to these threats effectively. In this blog post, we'll delve into what Respotter is, how it works, and how you can leverage it to enhance your network security.

Respotter is an open-source cybersecurity tool created by the talented developer, me, Baden Erb. It is a PowerShell script that acts as a Responder HoneyPot—a decoy designed to attract and identify malicious responders on your network. Respotter simplifies the detection process and provides a clear indication of whether a Responder is present or not.

Getting started with Respotter is a breeze. Follow these four simple steps to set it up on your system:

1. Download the Repo: Start by downloading the entire repository as a ZIP file.
2. Unzip the File: Extract the contents of the ZIP file to a directory of your choice.
3. Run the Script: Right-click the Respotter.ps1 file and select "Run as a PowerShell Script."
4. Monitor the Output: The script will output one of two messages:
• When no Responder is found on your network: "Responder not found..."
• When Responder is detected on your network: "Responder present at: (The IP Address will then be shown here)"

At the heart of Respotter lies a simple yet effective PowerShell CmdLet:

Here's how it works:

1. Respotter queries the DNS with a deliberately incorrect and non-existent domain name, in this case, "Loremipsumdolorsitamet."
2. It then analyzes the response from the DNS server to determine if a Responder is running. Since Responder "responds" to any DNS query, whether it's a correct or incorrect domain, this technique effectively identifies its presence.

You can easily schedule Respotter to run as a task. Follow these steps:

1. Convert the Respotter.ps1 file to an executable file by running the following commands:
Install-Module ps2exe Invoke-ps2exe .\Respotter.ps1 .\Respotter.exe
2. Set up a scheduled task on the newly created Respotter.exe in the same directory.

In general, you shouldn't need special permissions to run Respotter since it's essentially a DNS resolution operation. However, if you intend to run it as a scheduled service, you may need to configure appropriate permissions.

Respotter is released under the MIT License, which means you are free to use and modify it as you please.

Thank you for taking the time to explore Respotter, a valuable addition to the arsenal of cybersecurity tools. Enhance your network security and stay one step ahead of potential threats with this simple yet powerful Responder HoneyPot. Download it today and contribute to the world of cybersecurity.