What is Tailgating in cyber security?

Tailgating in cyber security, also known as piggybacking, is one of the most widespread security breaches affecting businesses and where cyber criminals try to sneak into a restricted area where they are not allowed to be and often go undetected.

How does tailgating in cyber security work?

A cybercriminal attempting to enter a restricted area where access is unattended or regulated by electronic access control can walk in behind someone who has authorised access. A tailgating attack can be especially dangerous to mid-sized and larger firms, as companies might lose their confidential data and employee information leading to severe reputational, monetary and regulatory losses.

How to stop tailgating?

Policy for visitors 

One of the best ways to stop tailgating in cyber-attacks is to train your users on what policies are acceptable when entering restricted areas in the building. A policy for visitors should be implemented. In that case, you should be able to identify anyone. For example, visitors need to get a particular coloured badge and they are required to wear their badge everywhere they go.

One swipe, One person but not two

Making sure that when you are scanning in or badging into a door, it is always only you at a time. Mechanical gates or barriers often restrict access, so only one person can get through at a time.

Setting up a biometric scanner/Mantrap/Airlock

Setting up 24/7 biometric scanner mantraps or airlocks is an effective way to prevent more than one person from coming in and out at a time. These devices also remember whether the users are inside or outside the building, so users can't simply slip their cards to someone as the system knows the users are already inside the building. It is going only to allow you inside once. Additionally, you should constantly challenge suspicious people and ask questions only employees would know.

Provide Cybersecurity Awareness Training to employees

If your employees are always aware of tailgating, they are definitely your organisation's strongest defence against cybersecurity. Providing cybersecurity training like role plays for all employees is the most cost-saving way to fight to tailgate.

If you're looking to conduct a thorough and professional cybersecurity audit, Swiftcomm can help. You'll receive your own cybersecurity account manager, and our support is available 24/7. 

You do your best, and Swiftcomm does the rest.