Tailgating - technical definition

Just as a driver can tailgate another driverÂ’s car by following too closely, in the security sense, tailgating means to compromise physical security by following somebody through a door meant to keep out intruders. Tailgating is actually a form of social engineering, whereby someone who is not authorized to enter a particular area does so by following closely behind someone who is authorized.

See Also: Human Factor or Social Engineering; Social Engineering.