Custom Domains

Why Custom Domains?

Custom domains allow you to serve decoy content from your own domain names, making your honeypots more convincing and harder for attackers to detect.

Benefits of Custom Domains

Benefit	Description
Authenticity	Decoys appear to be part of your real infrastructure
Stealth	Attackers can’t identify WebDecoy by domain name
Branding	Use your own subdomain (e.g., cdn.yoursite.com)
SSL	Automatic HTTPS with Let’s Encrypt certificates

Use Cases

• Hidden admin paths: admin.yoursite.com/backup
• Fake CDN: cdn.yoursite.com/assets/config.json
• Decoy API: api.yoursite.com/v1/admin/users
• Credential honeypot: secure.yoursite.com/login

---

Creating a Custom Domain

Step-by-Step Guide

1. Navigate to Domain Settings

   • Go to Settings → Domains in the sidebar

2. Click “Add Domain”

   • The create domain dialog opens

3. Enter Your Domain

   • Enter the full domain name
   • Examples: decoy.yoursite.com, honeypot.example.org
   • Subdomains are recommended over root domains

4. Click “Create”

   • The domain is created in “pending” status
   • You’ll see DNS configuration instructions

Domain Naming Tips

Good Domain Names	Why
cdn.yoursite.com	Looks like a legitimate CDN
api2.yoursite.com	Appears to be a backup API
assets.yoursite.com	Typical static content subdomain
secure.yoursite.com	Looks like a security-related service

Avoid	Why
honeypot.yoursite.com	Obviously a trap
decoy.yoursite.com	Too descriptive
fake.yoursite.com	Reveals intent

---

DNS Configuration

WebDecoy uses A Records to point your domain directly to our infrastructure.

A Record Configuration

1. Get the Target IP

   • The IP address is displayed in the domain setup dialog in WebDecoy
   • Copy this IP address for use in your DNS configuration

2. Log into Your DNS Provider

   • Cloudflare, Route53, GoDaddy, Namecheap, etc.

3. Create the A Record

   Field	Value
   Type	A
   Name	Your subdomain (e.g., decoy)
   Value	The IP address shown in WebDecoy (e.g., 203.0.113.50)
   TTL	3600 (or “Auto”)

4. Example Configurations by Provider

   Cloudflare:

   Type: A
   Name: decoy
   IPv4 address: <IP from WebDecoy>
   Proxy status: DNS only (grey cloud)

   Route53:

   Record name: decoy.yoursite.com
   Record type: A
   Value: <IP from WebDecoy>
   TTL: 300

   GoDaddy:

   Type: A
   Host: decoy
   Points to: <IP from WebDecoy>
   TTL: 1 Hour

Important: Disable Cloudflare Proxy

If using Cloudflare, ensure the proxy is disabled (grey cloud icon):

• WebDecoy handles SSL directly
• Proxying interferes with certificate generation
• Click the orange cloud to toggle it grey

---

Verifying Your Domain

After configuring DNS, you need to verify that the records are properly set up.

Verification Process

1. Go to Settings → Domains

2. Find Your Domain

   • Look for domains with “Pending Verification” status

3. Click “Verify”

   • WebDecoy checks your DNS configuration

4. Wait for DNS Propagation

   • DNS changes can take 5 minutes to 48 hours
   • Most changes propagate within 15-30 minutes

5. Verification Result

   • ✅ Verified: Domain is ready for SSL setup
   • ❌ Failed: DNS record not found or incorrect

Checking DNS Propagation

You can check if your DNS has propagated using these methods:

Command Line:

# Check A record
dig decoy.yoursite.com A

# Using nslookup
nslookup decoy.yoursite.com

Online Tools:

• whatsmydns.net
• dnschecker.org

Troubleshooting Verification

Issue	Solution
Record not found	Wait for DNS propagation (up to 48 hours)
Wrong IP address	Verify you entered the IP address from WebDecoy correctly
Still pending	Clear DNS cache, try verification again

---

SSL Certificate Setup (Let’s Encrypt)

WebDecoy automatically provisions free SSL certificates from Let’s Encrypt.

SSL Certificate Process

Domain Verified → Request Certificate → Certificate Issued → HTTPS Active

Step-by-Step SSL Setup

1. Ensure Domain is Verified

   • Your domain must show “Verified” status first

2. Initiate SSL Certificate Request

   • Click “Setup SSL” or “Get Certificate” on your domain

3. Certificate Issuance

   • WebDecoy automatically handles the certificate validation
   • This typically takes 1-5 minutes

4. SSL Active

   • Your domain now serves content over HTTPS

SSL Troubleshooting

Issue	Solution
Certificate error	Reset and try again
Timeout	Wait a few minutes and retry

---

Managing Domain SSL Status

SSL Status Indicators

Status	Meaning
🟢 Valid	Certificate active and valid
🟡 Expiring Soon	Certificate expires within 30 days
🔴 Expired	Certificate has expired
⚪ Not Requested	No SSL certificate yet
🔵 Pending	Certificate request in progress

Viewing SSL Details

1. Go to Settings → Domains
2. Click the SSL Status indicator on your domain
3. View:
   • Certificate validity dates
   • Days until expiration
   • Certificate issuer (Let’s Encrypt)

Certificate Renewal

Automatic Renewal:

• WebDecoy automatically renews certificates 30 days before expiration
• No action required from you

Manual Renewal:

• If automatic renewal fails, you’ll see an “Expiring Soon” warning
• Click “Renew SSL” to manually trigger renewal

Revalidating SSL

If you’re having SSL issues:

1. Go to Settings → Domains
2. Click your domain’s SSL status
3. Click “Revalidate SSL”

Deleting a Domain

To remove a custom domain:

1. Go to Settings → Domains
2. Click the Delete button (trash icon)
3. Confirm deletion
4. The domain and its certificate are removed

Note: Deleting a domain does not automatically remove decoys using that domain. Update or delete associated decoys separately.

---

Domain Setup Checklist

Use this checklist for each new domain:

• Choose a convincing subdomain name
• Add A record pointing to the IP address shown in WebDecoy
• Wait for DNS propagation (check with dig/nslookup)
• Verify domain in WebDecoy
• Request SSL certificate
• Confirm HTTPS is working
• Create decoys using the domain

---

Next Steps

Now that your domain is set up with SSL, create your first decoy:

• Decoy Links - Build honeypot links on your domain