What is Piggybacking?

Introduction

Not all security breaches involve malware, phishing emails, or hacked passwords. Some start with a simple act of courtesy.

Piggybacking can be a physical security risk, where an unauthorized person gains access to a restricted area by following someone who does have permission. Threat actors can also piggyback into secure digital areas.

Helping someone out in that way can seem harmless, and often happens unintentionally. That’s what makes it so effective.

How Does Piggybacking Happen?

These threats happen when someone uses another person’s access to enter a secured space without proper authorization. That can include physical spaces in the office, where only privileged personnel can enter, or digital spaces that require extra administrative access.

Common examples include:

• Holding a secured door open for somebody behind you

• Logging into a system using someone else’s credentials

• Allowing a visitor to enter restricted areas without an escort

• Remaining logged in on a shared or public device

• Access is temporarily granted to “help out,” and then never revoked

• Providing third parties with broader system access than necessary

• Sharing badges or access codes “just this once.”

When someone bypasses security controls without raising any alarms, it poses an unparalleled risk to your data.

Why Is Piggybacking so Effective?

By targeting our natural behaviors and instincts rather than directly attacking technical defenses, bad actors (and accidental insiders!) can exploit our human urges to help out and avoid confrontation. 60% of companies experienced a physical security breach in the last year.

Digital piggybacking is especially dangerous because it leaves fewer visible signs. A shared login or a lingering session can provide access to systems, data, and tools for long periods without raising suspicion.

It all involves unintentionally giving someone access to a secure area, whether that’s by holding a door open, sharing credentials, or granting access informally.

Dangers Behind the Threat

Unauthorized access may allow threat actors to:

• View or copy sensitive data

• Modify systems or configurations

• Install malware or backdoors

• Access customer or employee information

• Use trusted accounts to carry out further attacks

Once someone else gains access to a location, it can be difficult to trace activity back to the right individual. This heavily complicates consequential investigations and accountability.

How to Prevent Physical and Digital Piggybacking

Consistent habits help reduce the risk to your data. Don’t share your badge, usernames, passwords, or other access tokens. Lock your devices when you step away from them, even if it’s only for a moment. If you use a shared system, then always remember to log out after using it. Shared logins, lingering sessions, and informal access are just as risky as letting someone through a secured door.

If you’re unsure about how to best protect the private data that you manage, now is the time to ask. Learn and reinforce your security awareness training to help defend your data against piggybacking and other digital threats.

Conclusion

From offices to healthcare facilities, data centers, and shared workspaces, piggybacking remains one of the most overlooked ways attackers bypass security controls.

Security controls only work when they are respected. Taking a moment to verify access, both physical and digital, protects more than just your work devices and data. It also helps protect you and all the other people who rely on these systems every day.