Piggybacking vs. Tailgating: Which Involves Knowingly Allowing Access?
Which of the following describes a situation in which an employee knowingly allows someone access to a restricted area without verifying authentication?
Community Votes
100% of anonymous learners picked answer A. Votes are pick records left by other test-takers — they are not the verified answer.
Community Insight
The trap is confusing piggybacking and tailgating; piggybacking explicitly involves the authorized person's awareness and consent, whereas tailgating is the unauthorized person following quietly without consent.
CompTIA Network+ N10-008 tests your ability to distinguish piggybacking from tailgating in physical security scenarios. The community unanimously confirms that when an employee knowingly allows unauthorized access, the correct term is piggybacking.
Choosing B. Tailgating is the common mistake. Test takers often mix up the two terms, but tailgating refers to someone slipping in behind an authorized person without their knowledge, which contradicts the question's phrase 'knowingly allows'.
Community Discussion (6 comments)
Comments & Corrections
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Expert Analysis
Why the Answer Is Correct
Option A is correct because piggybacking is defined as an authorized person knowingly allowing an unauthorized individual to enter a restricted area. The question explicitly states 'knowingly allows someone access,' and multiple commenters point out that piggybacking is the term used when the authorized employee is aware and consents. Commenter [2] summarized it well: 'piggyback is knowing, tailgating is the person sneaking in behind.'
Why the Other Options Are Wrong
Tailgating (B) is the most tempting wrong answer because both terms describe unauthorized entry via an authorized person. However, tailgating implies the unauthorized person follows behind without the employee's knowledge or consent, often catching the door just before it closes. Shoulder surfing (C) is completely different — it involves peeking over someone's shoulder to obtain sensitive information such as PINs or passwords. Phishing (D) is a social engineering attack delivered via email or messages designed to trick users into revealing credentials or clicking malicious links.
Community Comment Notes
The community is overwhelmingly confident in answer A, as shown by the vote tally (A: 100). Commenter [1] explains the distinction with an analogy: to literally piggyback someone, you must be aware that they are on your back, whereas tailgating can happen silently. Commenter [3] also clarifies that tailgating is unknowingly letting someone in after you, for example someone follows you and catches the door. Commenter [4] reinforces 'It's done knowingly so — piggybacking.' These reliable, high-quality comments align perfectly with CompTIA's terminology and make it clear that the suggested answer A is correct.
Official Reference
Exam Strategy
When answering physical security questions on the N10-008, ask yourself whether the authorized employee is aware and consenting. If yes, choose piggybacking; if the intruder sneaks in unnoticed, choose tailgating. Memorize this quick distinction — it is a straightforward point-scorer.