Federal authorities have dismantled a sprawling network of electronic devices across the New York tristate area that officials say could have been used to disable the region's cellular network and obstruct emergency communications during the high-profile United Nations General Assembly this week.
The U.S. Secret Service announced Tuesday that it discovered more than 300 co-located SIM servers and 100,000 SIM cards at five locations within 35 miles of New York City. Agents also recovered illegal firearms, computers, cellphones, and 80 grams of cocaine during the operation.
"This protective intelligence investigation led to the discovery of more than 300 co-located SIM servers and 100,000 SIM cards across multiple sites," the agency said in a statement. "These devices could be used to conduct a wide range of telecommunications attacks. This includes disabling cell phone towers, enabling denial of service attacks and facilitating anonymous, encrypted communication between potential threat actors and criminal enterprises."
Matt McCool, head of the Secret Service's New York Field Office, said the network was capable of bringing down cellular infrastructure. "This network had the potential to disable cellphone towers and essentially shut down the cellular network in New York City," McCool said in a video statement.
Officials are now combing through the seized SIM cards to determine who was behind the network and whether it was intended to disrupt the U.N. General Assembly or communications among government and emergency personnel. "We're working through every call, every text, every search made on those SIM cards," an official said on background.
The Secret Service said the operation was launched earlier this year after "multiple telecommunications-related imminent threats directed towards senior U.S. government officials." Early forensic analysis reportedly shows communications between nation-state 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. "This investigation makes it clear to potential bad actors that imminent threats to our protectees will be immediately investigated, tracked down and dismantled."
