easyMultiple Select
FC0-U71 Tailgating Practice Question
Which THREE of the following are examples of social engineering attacks?
⚠ Common exam trap
A common trap is to think that only phishing is a social engineering attack, but physical techniques like tailgating and shoulder surfing are also social engineering. Another trap is confusing spoofing (a technical attack) with social engineering.
Answer choices
Why each option matters
Answer the question above first, then reveal the full breakdown to understand why each option is right or wrong.
Correct answer & explanation
✓
Tailgating
Tailgating (C) is a social engineering attack because it relies on manipulating a person's courtesy or trust to physically follow an authorized individual through a secure door or access point without presenting credentials. Phishing (D) is a social engineering attack that uses deceptive emails, messages, or websites to trick users into revealing credentials or clicking malicious links. Shoulder surfing (E) is a social engineering attack in which an attacker visually observes someone entering passwords, PINs, or other sensitive data in a public or shared space. Adware (A) is a type of unwanted software that displays advertisements and is classified as malware or a PUP, not a social engineering technique. Spoofing (B) is a technical impersonation technique, such as IP, MAC, or email spoofing, and while it can support social engineering, it is not itself an example of a social engineering attack.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
- ✗
Adware
Why it's wrong here
Adware is malware that displays unwanted advertisements; it manipulates software, not people, so it involves no human persuasion. It is tempting because adware often arrives via deceptive downloads, and it would be the correct choice for a question asking about types of malware or unwanted software.
- ✗
Spoofing
Why it's wrong here
Spoofing falsifies an address or identity at the protocol level, such as IP, ARP or email headers; it does not rely on manipulating a person's trust. It is tempting because spoofed emails often carry phishing lures, and it would be correct for a question about network-layer attacks or impersonation techniques.
- ✓
Tailgating
Why this is correct
Tailgating is a physical social engineering attack where an unauthorised person follows an authenticated employee through a secured door, exploiting courtesy or trust rather than defeating the lock itself. The human element, not hardware, is the vulnerability being manipulated.
- ✓
Phishing
Why this is correct
Phishing is a social engineering attack that uses fraudulent emails or messages to trick recipients into revealing credentials or clicking malicious links. It manipulates human trust and urgency, distinguishing it from technical exploits such as malware or vulnerability scanning.
- ✓
Shoulder surfing
Why this is correct
Shoulder surfing is a social engineering technique: the attacker directly observes a victim typing credentials or PINs in a public space, exploiting human behaviour rather than technical flaws. It relies on physical proximity and inattention, matching the definition of a non-technical, people-focused attack.
Quick reference
Access Control Model Comparison
| Model | Acronym | Who Controls Access? | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|
| Discretionary Access Control | DAC | Resource owner | Small teams, file shares |
| Mandatory Access Control | MAC | System / security labels | Classified govt / military |
| Role-Based Access Control | RBAC | Administrator (via roles) | Enterprise environments |
| Attribute-Based Access Control | ABAC | Policy engine (user + resource attributes) | Fine-grained, dynamic policies |
| Rule-Based Access Control | RuBAC | System rules / ACLs | Firewall rules, network ACLs |
Go deeper
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JA
Written by Johnson Ajibi, MSc IT Security
Senior Network & Security Engineer · founder of Courseiva
This FC0-U71 practice question is part of Courseiva's free CompTIA certification practice question bank. Courseiva provides original exam-style practice questions with explanations, topic-based practice, mock exams, readiness tracking, and study analytics to help learners prepare for the FC0-U71 exam.