Recognise the move. Disrupt the attack.

Threat vector

An unauthorised person enters a controlled area by following an authorised person through a door, turnstile or gate.

Red Team Exploitation

Hands-full pretext (coffee, boxes), fake lanyard, timing entry during shift change, or asking someone to 'hold the door'.

Defensive Awareness Tip

One badge, one person. Politely challenge: “Can you badge in please?” Install anti-tailgating turnstiles and log all entries.

Threat vector

Voice phishing: attackers impersonate IT, executives or vendors by phone to extract information, codes or actions.

Red Team Exploitation

Spoofed caller ID, urgency and authority pressure, multi-call rapport building, and requests for secrecy.

Defensive Awareness Tip

Never share codes or passwords by phone. Hang up and call back on a known number. Report every suspicious call.

Threat vector

Low-frequency (125 kHz) and poorly configured high-frequency badges can be read and duplicated from a distance.

Red Team Exploitation

Long-range reader hidden in a bag or laptop case brushes against a badge in a lift or café; card is cloned in seconds.

Defensive Awareness Tip

Migrate to encrypted credentials (DESFire EV2/EV3, mobile credentials), use RFID-shielding sleeves, and pair badges with PIN or biometrics in sensitive zones.

Threat vector

Malicious USB sticks, cables, keyloggers and network implants planted in lounges, print rooms and meeting rooms.

Red Team Exploitation

Curiosity lures ('Salary Review'), official-looking labels ('Do Not Remove'), and identical-looking charging cables.

Defensive Awareness Tip

Never connect unknown devices. Block unmanaged USB via endpoint policy, enable 802.1X on network ports, and sweep rooms regularly.

Threat vector

Discarded documents, sticky notes, org charts and old hardware reveal names, systems and credentials.

Red Team Exploitation

Night-time bin searches, retrieving strip-shredded documents for reassembly, recovering data from disposed drives.

Defensive Awareness Tip

Cross-cut or micro-cut shredding for all business paper, at DIN 66399 level P-4 and P-5 for confidential documents, locked disposal consoles, and certified media destruction for hardware.