US Secret Service busts telecom threat, seizes 100,000 SIM cards in NYC

The US Secret Service has busted a network of electronic devices comprising more than 300 co-located SIM servers and 100,000 SIM cards across multiple sites throughout the New York tristate area, located within 35 miles of the United Nations General Assembly meeting venue in the city.

“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 US Secret Service stated in a post on X.

Senior US govt official potential targets

The Secret Service stated that the equipment could have been used to target senior US government officials with multiple telecommunications-related threats, as well as for carrying out telecommunications attacks aimed at disabling cell phone towers, enabling denial of services attacks and facilitating anonymous and encrypted communication between potential threat actors and criminal enterprises.

“This protective intelligence investigation led to the discovery of more than 300 co-located SIM servers and 100,000 SIM cards across multiple sites,” stated the release.

The agency said that preliminary investigation has indicated cellular communications between “nation-state threat actors and individuals” that are known to the federal law enforcement.

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New Secret Service unit probing the case

“While forensic examination of these devices is ongoing, early analysis indicates cellular communications between nation-state threat actors and individuals that are known to federal law enforcement,” stated the release.

“These devices were concentrated within 35 miles of the global meeting of the United Nations General Assembly now underway in New York City,” it added.

The Secret Service stated that in view of the timing, location and potential for significant disruption to New York telecommunications posed by these devices, it swung into action to disrupt the network, adding that its new Advanced Threat Interdiction Unit, a dedicated unit disrupting the most significant and imminent threats to its protectees, is investigating the case.

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What Secret Service Director said

U.S. Secret Service Director Sean Curran said that the network of telecommunication devices could have severely disrupted telecommunication in the country.

“The U.S. 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,” added Curran.

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 government agencies, provided “valuable technical advice” and assistance during the investigation. “This is an ongoing investigation,” stated the release.