Tailgating
piggybacking · physical intrusion · door holding · talonnage
A physical intrusion in which someone gets through an access-controlled door by closely following an authorised person, without badging in themselves.
In practice
Tailgating exploits good manners: we hold the door for someone whose arms are full or who seems in a hurry. Piggybacking is the variant where the authorised person knowingly lets the intruder in. Once inside, an attacker can plug a device into the network, photograph screens, or walk off with a laptop or documents. Physical security is part of cybersecurity: a perfectly filtered network is worthless if someone can sit down at a workstation.
Fictional case: during an authorised physical penetration test, an auditor wearing a courier’s vest follows a group of employees back from their break. Twenty minutes later, he has plugged a tiny computer into a spare network socket in a meeting room, and nobody has asked him a single question.
How to protect yourself
- One clear rule everyone knows: everybody badges in, even in a group, and nobody holds the door for a stranger.
- Security airlocks or turnstiles at sensitive entrances, and a reception desk for visitors.
- Clearly visible visitor badges and escorts at all times on the premises.
- Disable unused network sockets and control which devices can connect (802.1X).
