What is tailgating in terms of security controls?

Tailgating refers to the act of an unauthorized person gaining access to a secure area by following an authorized individual without obtaining permission. This security breach often occurs when someone takes advantage of the trust or good nature of an authorized person, especially in environments with limited physical security measures, such as open doors or lax access control protocols.

In this context, tailgating is a significant concern because it can lead to unauthorized access to sensitive areas or systems, ultimately posing a risk to the confidentiality, integrity, and availability of information. Proper security controls to combat tailgating include the implementation of access control systems, badge readers, and awareness training for employees about the risks associated with allowing others to follow them into secure areas.

The other choices do not accurately define tailgating, as they focus on different concepts within security controls, such as bypassing audit trails, secondary authentication, and password security methods, which are not directly related to the physical act of following someone into a secure space.