The US Secret Service announced the dismantling of a large spy network that threatened telecommunications and security during the UN General Assembly in New York. Investigators discovered over 300 combined SIM servers and around 100,000 SIM cards across facilities in three states.
The devices were used not only for anonymous phone threats to senior US government officials but also could facilitate telecom attacks, including disabling cell towers, denial-of-service attacks, and providing encrypted anonymous communication between perpetrators and criminal organizations.
Preliminary analysis revealed connections between the network and individuals known to federal authorities for national-scale threats. Secret Service Director Shaun Carran emphasized that the destabilization potential of this system cannot be overstated and highlighted the agency’s mission to prevent such threats.
Special concern arose because the devices were concentrated within a 35-mile radius of the UN General Assembly site. Given the timing, location, and potential telecom disruptions in New York, the network was immediately deactivated.
The investigation is led by the Secret Service’s newly created Potential Threats Unit and involves the Department of Homeland Security, Department of Justice, Office of the Director of National Intelligence, New York Police Department, and other federal and local agencies providing technical and advisory suppor
