What Is Tailgating in Cybersecurity? (And Why It’s a Real Threat)

Cyber Word of the Week: Tailgating

Tailgating isn’t just for football games, it’s also a physical security threat in the cybersecurity
world.

What is tailgating?
Tailgating occurs when an unauthorized person gains access to a restricted area by following
closely behind someone with legitimate access. This technique is commonly used in physical
social engineering attacks.

For insight into hacker motivations, see What Are the Three Types of Hackers?.

Example:
Susan works for Company A and enters the building by swiping her badge. Joe, an outsider
posing as a delivery driver, walks in right behind her before the door closes—without ever
swiping a badge himself. By blending in and relying on social norms like politeness, Joe
bypasses security controls undetected.

Attackers may take it a step further by impersonating trusted roles, such as security guards,
janitors, or delivery personnel, to blend in and lower suspicion.

Why it matters:
Tailgating can allow attackers to steal data, install malicious devices, or gain access to secure
systems.

For a broader security approach to protect against such threats, see Defense in Depth.