I first wrote about OpenCanary years ago, and that old version badly needed an update. The tool is still useful, but the way I would deploy it in a home lab today is different: newer Ubuntu versions, Python 3, Docker as an option, cleaner logging, and no copy-pasted example credentials that look like something someone might actually reuse. This guide is the updated version: how I would set up an OpenCanary honeypot on Ubuntu in 2026 for a small home network or homelab. The goal is not to trap random people on the internet. The goal is to create a quiet internal warning system: a fake service that should never be touched, so any connection to it deserves attention. Important: this is a defensive security guide. Run OpenCanary only on systems and networks you own or have permission to monitor. Do not expose a honeypot to the public internet unless you understand the logging, legal, abuse and maintenance implications. If you are building a Linux home server security setup fro...