Custom Domains (Optional)

Do You Need a Custom Domain?

No. Every WebDecoy organization gets decoys hosted on the shared domain (*.d.webdecoy.com) automatically. Custom domains are an upgrade that lets you serve decoys from your own hostname.

Read the Shared Domain vs Custom Domain comparison if you’re not sure which you want.

Why Add a Custom Domain?

Custom domains let you serve decoy content from your own domain names, making honeypots more convincing for attackers actively reconnoitering your brand.

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

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Creating a Custom Domain

Custom domains share one organization-wide allowance from your plan. Both A-record and CNAME domains count, including domains awaiting verification. Check Billing for your current allowance. If all slots are used, remove an unused domain or upgrade before adding another. Existing domains remain in place after a downgrade, even if the organization is above its new allowance.

Step-by-Step Guide

1. Navigate to Domain Settings

   • Go to Domains in the sidebar

2. Click “Add Custom Domain”

   • The Add Custom Domain dialog opens

3. Enter Your Domain

   • Enter the full domain name in Domain Name
   • Examples: decoy.yoursite.com, honeypot.example.org
   • Use a subdomain you aren’t serving anything from. If you enter your main domain, the dialog warns you: pointing it at WebDecoy would take your live site down

4. Click “Next”

   • The domain is created with verification Pending
   • You’ll see the A record to add, then click Continue and Close

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

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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

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Verifying Your Domain

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

Verification Process

1. Go to Domains (sidebar)

2. Find Your Domain

   • Look for domains with “Pending Verification” status

3. Click the verify button in the Actions column

   • The Verify Domain dialog checks your DNS configuration

4. Wait for DNS Propagation

   • DNS changes usually propagate within a few minutes
   • In some cases, it can take up to 24 hours

5. Verification Result

   • ✅ Domain Ready!: DNS verified and an SSL certificate issued
   • ⚠️ DNS Verified, SSL Failed: retry SSL from the domain list, and check that port 80 on the domain reaches WebDecoy
   • ❌ DNS Verification 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 a few minutes for DNS propagation and try again
Wrong IP address	Verify you entered the IP address from WebDecoy correctly
Still pending	Clear DNS cache, try verification again
Main domain entered	Delete it and add a subdomain instead

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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

When DNS verification succeeds, WebDecoy requests the certificate immediately, in the same Verify Domain dialog. Issuance usually finishes within about 30 seconds and needs port 80 on your domain to reach WebDecoy.

If issuance fails, or you want to request it again:

1. Go to Domains (sidebar)
2. Click the View SSL status button on your domain
3. Click Issue Certificate

SSL Troubleshooting

Issue	Solution
Certificate error	Check that the A record is correct and the Cloudflare proxy is off, then click Issue Certificate again
Timeout	Wait a few minutes and retry

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Managing Domain SSL Status

SSL Status Indicators

The SSL Status column on the Domains list shows:

Status	Meaning
Active	Certificate issued and serving
Provisioning	Certificate request in progress
Pending	No certificate yet
Failed	Certificate issuance failed

Viewing SSL Details

1. Go to Domains (sidebar)
2. Click the View SSL status button on your domain
3. View the status, when the certificate was issued, and any message from the last attempt

Certificate Renewal

Automatic Renewal:

• WebDecoy checks certificates twice a day and renews them 30 days before expiration
• No action required from you

Manual Renewal:

• Open View SSL status and click Renew Certificate

Deleting a Domain

To remove a custom domain:

1. Go to Domains (sidebar)
2. Click the Delete domain button (trash icon)
3. Confirm deletion
4. The domain is removed

Note: Deleting a domain does not delete decoys that used it, but they are no longer served from that domain. Update or delete those decoys separately.

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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

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Next Steps

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

• Decoy Links - Build honeypot links on your domain