CEH Practice Question: Malware, Social Engineering and Network Attacks
Which of the following is a form of social engineering where an attacker physically follows an authorized person into a restricted area without proper authentication?
⚠ Common exam trap
EC-Council often tests tailgating by contrasting it with pretexting or baiting, so the trap is confusing physical access attacks (tailgating) with psychological manipulation attacks (pretexting, baiting, quid pro quo) that do not require physical proximity.
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
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Tailgating
Tailgating (also known as piggybacking) is a physical social engineering attack where an unauthorized person follows an authorized individual into a restricted area, bypassing authentication mechanisms such as badge readers, PIN pads, or biometric scanners. The attacker exploits the natural courtesy of the authorized person holding the door open, thereby gaining physical access without any credential validation.
Answer analysis
Option-by-option breakdown
For each option: why learners choose it and why it is or isn't the right answer here.
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Pretexting
Why it's wrong here
Pretexting builds a fabricated scenario to extract information through conversation, typically over phone or email, and involves no physical movement through a restricted entrance. It is tempting because it is a core social-engineering category, and would be correct if the attacker impersonated a role to obtain data verbally.
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Baiting
Why it's wrong here
Baiting exploits curiosity by leaving physical media such as infected USB drives for victims to plug in, so it involves no following of a person through a doorway. It is tempting as a physical social-engineering technique, and would be correct if the attacker left malware-laden devices for staff to find.
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Tailgating
Why this is correct
Tailgating exploits physical proximity and social trust: the attacker walks through a secured door immediately behind an authenticated employee, bypassing badge checks entirely. This matches the stem's physical-following constraint, unlike phishing or pretexting, which rely on remote deception.
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Quid pro quo
Why it's wrong here
Quid pro quo offers a service or benefit in exchange for information or access, so it relies on inducement rather than physically trailing an employee through a door. It is tempting as a recognised social-engineering tactic, and would be correct if the attacker traded fake IT support for credentials.
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Written by Johnson Ajibi, MSc IT Security
Senior Network & Security Engineer · founder of Courseiva
This CEH practice question is part of Courseiva's free EC-Council 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 CEH exam.