Secret Service dismantles 'imminent' telecomm threat in NY region, amid UN General Assembly session

The Secret Service announced Tuesday that it dismantled a telecommunications threat network near the United Nations General Assembly in New York City.

A network of electronic devices throughout the New York tristate area was dismantled by the Secret Service, according to the agency. The network was used to conduct multiple telecommunications-related threats directed at senior U.S. government officials.

Through the investigation, the agency discovered more than 300 co-located SIM servers and 100,000 SIM cards across multiple sites. The devices were concentrated within 35 miles of the UN General Assembly. The investigation is ongoing.

The devices could also be used for telecommunications attacks, such as disabling cellphone towers, enabling denial of services attacks, and facilitating anonymous, encrypted communication between potential threat actors and criminal organizations.

Early analysis indicates there were 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,” Secret Service Director Sean Curran said in a statement. “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.”