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1h ago

Secret Service Dismantles Covert Telecom Network Near UN, Citing Imminent Threat to NYC Cell Service

Early forensics on the seized servers point to communications tied to nation-state actors.

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Law enforcement officials discovered over 300 SIM servers within 35 miles of New York City, which they believe are being used by foreign governments and criminals in the US.
Left, Secret Service Special Agent in Charge of the New York Field Office Matt McCool in a video shared by the agency detailing the uncovering of a telecoms threat. Right, some of the equipment discovered by the Secret Service across the New York tristate area.
Law enforcement officials uncovered over 300 SIM servers all within the New York tristate area.

Overview

  • Agents seized more than 300 SIM servers and about 100,000 SIM cards across multiple sites within 35 miles of the United Nations headquarters.
  • Officials say the system could disable cell towers, jam 911 calls, and overwhelm networks, with capacity estimated at up to 30 million text messages per minute.
  • The takedown grew out of a spring investigation into telecommunications threats directed at senior U.S. officials.
  • Preliminary analysis indicates the network carried cellular communications between nation-state threat actors and individuals known to federal law enforcement, with attribution still under review.
  • No arrests have been announced, the equipment has been removed, and a multiagency probe continues with HSI, DOJ, ODNI and the NYPD.