During a penetration test, a vendor attempts to enter an unauthorized area using an access badge. Which of the following types of tests does this represent?

The correct answer is D. Physical. Physical (D) is correct because the scenario describes a real-world attempt to bypass a physical security control - an access badge used to enter a restricted area - which is the defining characteristic of a physical penetration test. Physical pentests assess whether an…

Submitted by saadiq_pk· Mar 6, 2026Security operations

Question

Options

ADefensive
BPassive
COffensive
DPhysical

How the community answered

(65 responses)

A
3% (2)
B
2% (1)
C
8% (5)
D
88% (57)

Explanation

Physical (D) is correct because the scenario describes a real-world attempt to bypass a physical security control - an access badge used to enter a restricted area - which is the defining characteristic of a physical penetration test. Physical pentests assess whether an organization's physical security measures (locks, badges, guards, tailgating controls) can be circumvented.

Defensive (A) is wrong because defensive measures are reactive controls meant to protect against attacks, not the act of testing them. Passive (B) is wrong because passive techniques involve observation without direct interaction (e.g., network sniffing), whereas physically attempting to enter a space is an active, hands-on action. Offensive (C) is a plausible distractor since pentesting is inherently offensive in nature, but "offensive" is not a standard pentest category - it describes an approach, not a test type; the question asks what type of test this is.

Memory tip: Think of the word "physical" literally - if the tester's body or a physical object (badge, lock pick, tailgating) is involved in the attack vector, it's a physical pentest. If you can do it from a keyboard, it's something else.

Topics

#Penetration Testing#Physical Security#Security Assessments#Access Control

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