> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://wiki.petto.sbs/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Honeypot

> Catch spam bots and compromised accounts with a bait channel.

## Overview

A Honeypot is a bait channel that looks like a normal member-visible channel but is not intended for regular conversation. Petto watches the channel and automatically moderates members or bots that send a message there.

This is designed to catch compromised accounts and automated spam bots that blindly post while scanning a server. Petto ignores itself, but it checks other bot messages before the normal bot-message skip so spam bots can be caught too.

<Note>
  All Honeypot commands require **Administrator**. The configured action can be:
</Note>

* `softban` — bans the user, removes their recent messages, and immediately unbans them.
* `ban` — permanently bans the user and removes recent messages according to Discord's limits.
* `kick` — removes the user from the server without banning them.

The default action is `softban`.

## Adding a Honeypot

Choose a text or announcement channel that members can see. Do not deny **View Channel** or prevent messages from reaching the channel, because Petto needs to receive a message there in order to detect it.

<CodeGroup>
  ```javascript Syntax theme={null}
  !honeypot add <channel> [punishment]
  ```

  ```javascript Example theme={null}
  !honeypot add #do-not-type-here softban
  ```

  ```text Result theme={null}
  ✅ Honeypot enabled in #do-not-type-here.
  Action: a softban for non-staff members who post there.
  ```
</CodeGroup>

If the channel already has a Honeypot, running `add` again updates its configured action and refreshes the warning panel. The panel includes Petto's Honeypot artwork, a persistent trigger counter, and a counter button using `<:petto_honeypot:1541493688054841405>`.

## Listing Honeypots

View every active Honeypot in the current server, its configured punishment, and its persistent trigger count.

```javascript theme={null}
!honeypot list
```

The counter is stored per server and channel. The panel button is informational only: clicking it does not disable the Honeypot or change its action; it replies privately with the current count.

## Removing a Honeypot

Remove a channel from the server's Honeypot configuration. Members will no longer be punished for sending messages there, and Petto removes the warning panel when it can access the message.

<CodeGroup>
  ```javascript Syntax theme={null}
  !honeypot remove <channel>
  ```

  ```javascript Example theme={null}
  !honeypot remove #do-not-type-here
  ```
</CodeGroup>

## Exemptions and permissions

The following are exempt from Honeypot actions:

* The server owner.
* Members with **Administrator**.
* Members with **Manage Messages**.
* Petto itself.

Petto needs these permissions in the Honeypot channel to configure and maintain the panel:

* **View Channel**
* **Send Messages**
* **Read Message History**
* **Manage Messages**

It also needs **Kick Members** or **Ban Members**, depending on the selected action. Its highest role must be above the target member's highest role. Discord's role hierarchy still applies; a Honeypot cannot punish an owner, a higher role, or another protected member.

## What gets logged

Every trigger deletes the message, increments the persistent counter, and attempts the configured action. A successful action creates a normal moderation case, so it appears in the `sanctions` log with a reason such as:

```javascript theme={null}
Automod: Honeypot: sent a message in the honeypot channel.
```

The detection itself is also sent to the `automod` log category. To keep these separate, route them to different channels:

```javascript theme={null}
!logs add #mod-log sanctions
!logs add #automod-log automod
```

See [Logging](/moderation/logging) for all available event categories and routing options.

## Troubleshooting

### The panel does not appear

Check that Petto can view and send messages in the selected channel and has **Manage Messages**. Run the `add` command again after fixing permissions to recreate or refresh the panel.

### The message is detected but the action fails

Check the matching **Kick Members** or **Ban Members** permission and move Petto's role above the target member's highest role. The trigger may still appear in the `automod` log even when Discord rejects the punishment.

### Staff members are not punished

That is intentional. The owner, Administrators, and members with **Manage Messages** are exempt so staff can inspect or maintain the bait channel safely.

## Related

<Card title="Automod" icon="shield-halved" href="/moderation/automod">
  Configure content checks, anti-spam, anti-raid, anti-alt, and silent channels.
</Card>

<Card title="Logging" icon="notebook" href="/moderation/logging">
  Route sanctions, automod detections, and other event categories to separate channels.
</Card>