This definition is workable but misses the mark in my opinion. One use of a honeypot is to lure would-be attackers away from their true target by offering a target that seems more enticing. In effect, the honeypot acts as a decoy so that the real targets go unnoticed. Often the honeypot does not yield information allowing you to identify or "trap" the attacker. The value of the honeypot lies in the information that is collected which help you to identify how and when the attackers entered the system. Using this information an administrator can learn what new techniques are being used by attackers and use it to harden and protect their real systems.
It is still important to protect individual systems with antivirus software and keep the operating systems and applications patched and updated, but running perimeter defense systems like the ones we discussed in this lesson provide an extra layer of defense. The firewall can help you to restrict or block the flow of unwanted network traffic. The IDS can monitor network traffic and alert you when an attack is in progress. And, the honeypot can be used as a decoy or to gather reconnaissance information on new hacker techniques. Each of these plays a slightly different role and can be used alone or in combination to secure your network perimeter.