What does piggybacking refer to?

Piggybacking refers to the act of unauthorized access to a secured area or system by taking advantage of an authorized user’s credentials or access. This often occurs when an attacker waits for a legitimate user to enter a secured area or passage and follows closely behind them, using their credentials to bypass security measures without proper authorization.

This technique exploits the trust established by legitimate systems and users, making it a security vulnerability that organizations must address. Proper security measures, such as access controls and visitor management protocols, are essential to prevent piggybacking incidents.

The other options describe concepts that do not accurately capture the nature of piggybacking. For instance, improving network security or routing traffic securely does not involve unauthorized access techniques. Additionally, while using another user's account does relate to unauthorized access, piggybacking specifically emphasizes the physical act of following behind an authorized user rather than merely using their credentials. Thus, identifying piggybacking distinctly helps to better understand security risks and appropriate countermeasures.