As threat landscapes become more sophisticated, there are very simple ways that bad actors might gain access to a facility. One often overlooked (but critical) security vulnerability is tailgating, also known as piggybacking.
Tailgating occurs when an unauthorized individual gains access to a secure area by following an authorized person through a controlled entry point. Despite its innocent appearance, tailgating can lead to serious consequences, including theft, vandalism, data breaches, and corporate espionage.
What are the risks of tailgating?
Tailgating might seem harmless at first, but it's a security breach that should not be underestimated. When unauthorized individuals gain access to secure areas, they can bypass all security measures in place, leaving the entire system vulnerable.
Here are some of the key risks associated with tailgating:
Data breaches
Data is one of the most valuable assets a company possesses. Unauthorized access to data centers or office spaces can lead to data breaches. Tailgating allows individuals to bypass security systems and gain direct access to servers, computers, or file storage areas. Once inside, they can steal sensitive information, leading to financial losses, legal liabilities, and damage to the company’s reputation.
Physical theft
Tailgating provides a gateway for thieves to access physical assets such as computers, office equipment, or even valuable documents. Once inside, these individuals can steal or damage property, leading to financial losses and operational disruptions.
Corporate espionage
Tailgating is a common tactic used in corporate espionage. Competitors or malicious actors can gain unauthorized access to a company’s premises to steal trade secrets, proprietary information, or other sensitive data. This can give competitors an unfair advantage, potentially costing the company millions of dollars.
Violence and vandalism
Tailgating can lead to more serious threats, such as violence or vandalism. An unauthorized individual gaining access to a secure area could pose a physical threat to employees or engage in acts of vandalism, causing damage to property and endangering lives.
Regulatory non-compliance
For heavily regulated industries like finance, healthcare, and government, maintaining compliance with security standards is crucial. Tailgating can result in a breach of these standards, leading to severe penalties, fines, and even the loss of licenses or certifications.
Damage to Reputation
Security breaches caused by tailgating can severely damage a company’s reputation. Clients, partners, and stakeholders expect companies to maintain high levels of security. A single breach can lead to a loss of trust, damaged relationships, and a tarnished brand image.
Given the significant risks associated with tailgating, your organization needs to implement and maintain effective measures to prevent unauthorized access. While educating employees about the dangers of tailgating and enforcing strict access control policies are important steps, they may not be enough. This is where technology comes into play.
What is a tailgate detection system?
A tailgate detection system is a sophisticated security solution designed to detect and prevent unauthorized access through controlled entry points. These systems use advanced technologies such as sensors, cameras, and artificial intelligence to monitor entryways and identify tailgating incidents in real time. By automatically detecting when multiple individuals attempt to enter a secure area through a single access point, these systems can alert security personnel or take automated actions, such as locking doors or triggering alarms.
Types of tailgate detection
Optical turnstiles
Traditionally, tailgating has been approached by using turnstiles but they have disadvantages. These systems use infrared sensors to detect when multiple individuals attempt to pass through the turnstile simultaneously. If tailgating is detected, the system can lock the turnstile, sound an alarm, or notify security personnel.
Pressure-sensitive floor mats
Pressure-sensitive floor mats are another effective tailgate detection solution. These mats are installed at entry points and are designed to detect the weight of individuals passing through. If the mat detects a second person following closely behind the first, it can trigger an alert, preventing unauthorized access.
Video-based systems
Video-based tailgating detection systems use cameras and advanced video analytics to monitor entry points. These systems can detect when multiple people attempt to enter a secure area at once and can send alerts to security personnel or automatically take action, such as locking doors.
Infrared sensors
Infrared beam sensors are another type of tailgate detection system that uses beams of infrared light to monitor entryways. When a person crosses the beam, the system registers their entry. If a second person crosses the beam too quickly after the first, the system can identify it as a tailgating attempt and trigger an alert.
Biometric systems
Biometric tailgating detection systems use biometric data, such as fingerprints or facial recognition, to ensure that only authorized individuals gain access. These systems can be combined with other detection methods to provide a multi-layered security approach.
The benefits of deploying a tailgate detection system
Deploying a tailgate detection system offers numerous benefits that go beyond just preventing unauthorized access. Here’s why investing in such a system is a smart move for any organization concerned about security:
- Enhanced security: Tailgate detection systems enhance security by automatically preventing unauthorized access, reducing risks like data breaches and theft.
- Compliance with regulatory standards: HiveWatch® GSOC OS tailgate detection systems help organizations comply with regulatory standards by adding a layer of security that prevents unauthorized entry.
- Reduced need for human monitoring: These systems automate tailgate detection, reducing the need for constant human oversight and allowing security personnel to focus on other tasks.
- Scalability: Tailgate detection systems are scalable and suitable for organizations of all sizes, securing single or multiple access points as needed.
- Real-time alerts and response: These systems provide real-time alerts, enabling quick responses to tailgating incidents and allowing for automated actions like locking doors or triggering alarms.
- Integration with other solutions: Tailgate detection systems integrate easily with access control, video surveillance, and alarm systems, creating a comprehensive security approach.
- Deterrence: A tailgate detection system deters potential intruders by using advanced technology to monitor entry points, discouraging attempts at unauthorized access.
The HiveWatch® GSOC OS uses your existing camera and access control systems to detect unauthorized access more reliably than infrared or camera-only methods at a lower cost than turnstile or other computer vision-based approaches.
How to prevent tailgating with tailgate detection
Preventing piggybacking, where unauthorized individuals follow others into secure areas, is a key challenge for organizations, but a tailored tailgate detection system can effectively address it.
Installing tailgate detection at all key entry points, including data centers and executive offices, ensures comprehensive monitoring and protection. Combining these systems with biometric access control provides an additional security layer, making unauthorized entry nearly impossible, while reducing the need for constant manual monitoring.
Employee education is also essential, as trained employees are more likely to prevent tailgating incidents and report suspicious activity. Regular testing and maintenance of detection systems ensure ongoing effectiveness, and fostering a culture of security awareness further emphasizes that protecting secure areas is a shared responsibility.
But there are limitations.
While the detection of unauthorized access should be a top priority for security teams, there are several limitations regarding traditional methods of piggyback detection. Turnstiles are typically expensive to deploy and camera-only computer vision algorithms are notorious for high amounts of false positives and can require high amounts of expensive GPUs to run.
Using the HiveWatch® GSOC Operating System for tailgate detection
The HiveWatch® GSOC OS uses your existing camera and access control systems to detect unauthorized access more reliably than infrared or camera-only methods at a lower cost than turnstile or other computer vision-based approaches. Customers benefit from immediate time to value as no additional hardware is needed and our computer vision uses less computing power than other computer vision providers.
Request a demo to learn more about HiveWatch® GSOC OS tailgate detection.
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