January 28, 2026 Threats 3 min read

When Cyber Attacks Become Physical Threats

By Cybersecurity Canada Editorial Team | Published January 28, 2026

There's a common assumption among business owners that cyber threats and physical threats are separate problems. That assumption is increasingly dangerous. Criminals have learned that compromising digital systems is often the easiest way to enable physical crimes.

Wi-Fi Jamming Burglaries

In 2024, police in several North American cities warned about burglars using inexpensive Wi-Fi jamming devices to disable wireless security cameras and alarm systems before breaking in. With security systems offline, thieves enter properties without triggering alerts or leaving video evidence.

Why it matters: Many Canadian small businesses rely entirely on wireless security cameras and cloud-connected alarms. If your security infrastructure depends on Wi-Fi, an inexpensive jamming device can render it useless. Consider hardwired connections for critical security systems.

Business Email Compromise Enables Physical Fraud

Business Email Compromise (BEC) is often discussed as a digital threat — attackers impersonating executives or vendors to redirect payments. But compromised email also enables physical crimes:

• Real estate fraud — Criminals monitor email for property transactions, then impersonate sellers with forged documents
• Vendor impersonation — Attackers learn your suppliers and payment schedules, then send physical invoices with altered payment details
• Identity document theft — Email access reveals copies of passports and licenses that enable in-person impersonation at banks

Once attackers have access to your email, they often monitor communications for weeks, learning enough about your business to execute convincing physical fraud.

SIM Swap Attacks

SIM swapping — where criminals hijack your phone number — has evolved beyond cryptocurrency theft into a gateway for comprehensive identity fraud. With control of a phone number, attackers can reset passwords, bypass two-factor authentication, and even visit bank branches in person to authorize transactions.

Business owners and executives are prime targets. If an attacker hijacks your phone number, your "second factor" of authentication routes through a device you no longer control.

Access Control System Vulnerabilities

Electronic keycard and badge systems are standard security for offices and warehouses. But researchers have repeatedly found serious vulnerabilities in these systems — from hardcoded credentials to clonable proximity cards — that could allow attackers to grant themselves physical access to your building.

That keycard system you installed for security might actually be a vulnerability if it hasn't been updated or properly configured.

What This Means for Canadian Businesses

The traditional boundary between cybersecurity and physical security no longer exists. Your wireless alarm system is a cybersecurity concern. Your email account is a physical security concern. The electronic locks on your doors are networked devices with potential vulnerabilities.

Questions to consider:

• Do your security cameras and alarm systems depend entirely on Wi-Fi?
• How would you verify a high-value payment request if email were compromised?
• Who has electronic access to your facilities, and is that access revoked when employees leave?
• Are critical security systems hardwired or do they have a wireless-only dependency?

The Canadian Centre for Cyber Security's Baseline Controls address many of the digital vulnerabilities that enable these physical threats — from email security (BC.9) and access control (BC.12) to incident response planning (BC.1).

Our free assessment evaluates your organization across all 13 Baseline Control areas, helping you identify the digital gaps that could lead to physical consequences.