Beelzebub

Beelzebub is a security deception platform for teams that want decoys to reveal attacker activity and make sessions easier to investigate. It is strongest for operators able to run a self-hosted deployment and use the resulting context in their security workflow. The free core keeps the entry cost low, but teams wanting managed service or enterprise support should consider the paid route.

Overview

Beelzebub combines multi-layer decoys, credential lures and cloud decoys, with support for HTTP, SSH, Telnet, MCP and other protocols. That breadth suits teams looking beyond a single-protocol honeypot. The core is self-hosted, however, so the free price does not remove the work of operating the deployment.

Key features

Session investigation

Specialized agents investigate decoy sessions for triage, threat hunting, malware analysis, incident response and reporting. Each session yields a plain-English summary of actions, observed techniques and captured artifacts, linked to the original session. This gives analysts a more reviewable starting point than a bare alert, while leaving them responsible for judging the evidence.

Workflow, deployment and safeguards

Structured events and investigation context can flow through APIs and webhooks, with integrations across SIEM, SOAR, identity, firewall and cloud systems. The maker says deployments can run with Docker or Kubernetes in cloud and on-premises environments, and local model options support restricted or air-gapped evaluation. Active testing can be bounded to an approved scope; exploitation requires human approval, with evidence preserved for review.

The platform maps findings to MITRE ATT&CK, NIST CSF, ISO 27001, DORA and NIS2. Its site lists ISO 9001:2015 and ISO/IEC 27001:2022 certifications. These points may matter to teams fitting deception work into established controls and reporting, though framework mapping does not replace their own assessment.

Pricing

The free core is the clearest fit for teams able to host and operate the framework themselves. The managed platform includes a 14-day free trial with enterprise features; customers needing an extended, guided evaluation can request a 30-day proof of concept, which includes dedicated technical support. Enterprise pricing is custom pricing. Enterprise customers also get 24/7 phone and chat support; community support is through GitHub issues and documentation.

Platforms

Beelzebub supports API and Linux, with a self-hosted deployment model. Docker and Kubernetes are described as deployment options across cloud and on-premises environments.

Who it's for

Choose Beelzebub if your security team can manage its own deployment and wants protocol breadth together with investigation context, reporting and workflow integrations. It is a weaker fit if you need a managed service at the free-core price or want a focused honeypot without the broader investigation workflow.

Pros and cons

Pros

• Decoys cover several protocols, including HTTP, SSH, Telnet and MCP, giving teams more scope than a single-protocol setup.
• Session-linked summaries include attacker actions, techniques and captured artifacts, supporting analyst review.
• APIs and webhooks route structured events and investigation context into several categories of security tools.
• The open-source core costs nothing and can be self-hosted.

Cons

• The free core requires self-hosting, so teams must take on deployment and operational responsibility.
• The managed platform's trial lasts 14 days, which may be brief for teams needing a longer evaluation; the 30-day proof of concept is offered to enterprise customers.
• 24/7 phone and chat support is for enterprise customers; community support relies on GitHub issues and documentation.

Alternatives

Browse Honeypot Software for more options. Choose Cowrie if a free, self-hosted Linux honeypot focused on SSH and Telnet better matches your scope. T-Pot is another free, open-source self-hosted option for Linux, macOS and Windows, though hardware and network requirements apply and it has no free trial. For free tokens deployed through its hosted service, consider Canarytokens; it has no free trial. OpenCanary is a free, self-hosted Linux or macOS open-source alternative. Thinkst Canary suits buyers seeking paid canaries with hardware, virtual, cloud or container deployment options; its five-canary plan costs $7,500 a year. CounterCraft The Platform uses custom pricing based on environment size, deployment scope and use case. DentiGrid offers commercial licensing for MSSPs and enterprises, with custom pricing. Heralding is a free, GPL-3.0 licensed open-source honeypot for Linux and self-hosting.

Verdict

Beelzebub is a strong choice for security teams that can self-host and want broad decoy coverage paired with session investigation and reporting. Its free core makes that approach accessible, while the managed trial and enterprise support provide a route beyond community operation. Look elsewhere if avoiding self-hosting is essential or if a narrower, single-purpose honeypot better fits your needs.