What type of attack involves pretending to be someone else to gain unauthorized access?

The concept of masquerading refers specifically to the act of pretending to be someone else, typically to gain unauthorized access to systems, data, or places. This type of attack can involve an individual taking on the identity of another person, either through deception or by using stolen credentials, with the intent to exploit trust or access sensitive information.

Masquerading highlights the importance of verifying identities and the inherent risks involved when the identity of a person or entity is assumed without proper authorization. In cybersecurity, this act can involve not only digital impersonation but also physical impersonation in methods like social engineering.

While phishing attacks also involve deception, they typically rely on tricking users into providing sensitive information through fraudulent emails or websites rather than the direct impersonation aspect emphasized in masquerading. Spear phishing is a targeted version of phishing that aims at specific individuals or organizations but still does not capture the full scope of impersonation as masquerading does. Tailgating, on the other hand, involves someone gaining physical entry to a restricted area by closely following an authorized person, which is different from the identity deception aspect of masquerading. Therefore, masquerading accurately encapsulates the scenario of impersonating someone else to gain unauthorized access.