Key Points

"The Secret Service dismantled a network of more than 300 SIM servers and 100,000 SIM cards in the New York-area that were capable of crippling telecom systems and carrying out anonymous telephonic attacks, disrupting the threat before world leaders arrived for the UN General Assembly," the agency posted on X.

https://x.com/SecretService/status/1970445933667082482

Building on the same announcement, the US Secret Service added that the dismantled network of electronic devices across the New York tristate area posed an imminent telecommunications threat to senior US government officials and protective operations during the United Nations General Assembly.

According to a statement issued by the US Secret Service, the protective intelligence investigation led to the discovery of more than 300 co-located SIM servers and 100,000 SIM cards across multiple sites. These devices, the agency noted, were capable of carrying out anonymous telephonic threats and could also be used to disable cell phone towers, enable denial-of-service attacks, and facilitate anonymous, encrypted communication between potential threat actors and criminal enterprises.

The agency further said that forensic examination of these devices is ongoing. Early analysis indicates cellular communications between nation-state threat actors and individuals known to federal law enforcement.

"The potential for disruption to our country's telecommunications posed by this network of devices cannot be overstated," said US Secret Service Director Sean Curran. "The US Secret Service's protective mission is all about prevention, and this investigation makes it clear to potential bad actors that imminent threats to our protectees will be immediately investigated, tracked down and dismantled."

The US Secret Service noted that the dismantled devices were concentrated within a 35-mile radius of the UN General Assembly venue in New York City. Given the timing, location and potential for disruption, the agency said it moved quickly to disable the network. The investigation is being conducted by the Advanced Threat Interdiction Unit, a new section of the Secret Service focused on imminent and significant threats.

The agency added that the Department of Homeland Security's Homeland Security Investigations, the Department of Justice, the Office of the Director of National Intelligence and the NYPD, along with other state and local partners, provided technical advice and support in this case.

The US Secret Service confirmed that the investigation remains ongoing.

- ANI