Which technique involves leaving a USB drive in a public area hoping someone will plug it into their computer?

Which technique involves leaving a USB drive in a public area hoping someone will plug it into their computer?

• A. Baiting
• B. Vishing
• C. Piggybacking
• D. Tailgating

Answer: (A)

Baiting uses a physical lure to trigger action from the victim. Leaving a USB drive in a public area is classic baiting because it tempts someone to pick it up and connect it to their computer, often under the assumption that it contains valuable data or software. If the device is plugged in and a file is run, the attacker can deliver malware or open a backdoor, giving them access to the system. This exploits human curiosity and trust in seemingly innocuous physical media. Vishing, by contrast, relies on social engineering over the phone to extract information. Piggybacking and tailgating involve physically slipping into restricted spaces by following someone who has authorized access. Those are not about inserting a malicious device, which is why baiting is the correct technique here. To reduce risk, avoid plugging in unknown USB drives, disable auto-run features where possible, and use endpoint security and removable-media controls.

Baiting uses a physical lure to trigger action from the victim. Leaving a USB drive in a public area is classic baiting because it tempts someone to pick it up and connect it to their computer, often under the assumption that it contains valuable data or software. If the device is plugged in and a file is run, the attacker can deliver malware or open a backdoor, giving them access to the system. This exploits human curiosity and trust in seemingly innocuous physical media.

Vishing, by contrast, relies on social engineering over the phone to extract information. Piggybacking and tailgating involve physically slipping into restricted spaces by following someone who has authorized access. Those are not about inserting a malicious device, which is why baiting is the correct technique here.

To reduce risk, avoid plugging in unknown USB drives, disable auto-run features where possible, and use endpoint security and removable-media controls.