The U.S. Secret Service says it has dismantled a telecommunications threat operating across the New York tristate area.
The agency says the network posed an imminent risk to its protective operations. The activity included threats aimed at senior U.S. government officials.
Hundreds of SIM Servers Found
The investigation uncovered more than 300 co-located SIM servers spread across multiple sites. Agents also seized around 100,000 SIM cards.
According to the Secret Service, the setup was used to send anonymous phone threats. But that was not the only concern.
Capabilities Went Beyond Phone Calls
Officials say the devices could support several telecom attacks. That includes disrupting cell towers and launching denial-of-service attacks.
The infrastructure could also allow anonymous and encrypted communication. That type of setup is often used to hide coordination between threat actors and criminal groups.
Possible Nation-State Links Under Review
Forensic analysis is still ongoing. Early findings suggest cellular traffic between nation-state actors and people already known to federal law enforcement.
The Secret Service has not named any countries or groups. Investigators are still mapping out how the network was used and who controlled it.
Timing Raised Serious Concerns
The devices were found within 35 miles of New York City. That area currently hosts the United Nations General Assembly.
Given the timing and location, officials say the risk of disruption was high. The agency moved quickly to take the network offline.
New Threat Unit Led the Operation
The investigation is being handled by the Secret Service’s Advanced Threat Interdiction Unit. This is a newer team focused on stopping high-risk and time-sensitive threats to protected officials.
Secret Service Director Sean Curran said the agency’s goal is prevention. He added that threats to protectees will be tracked and dismantled without delay.
Multiple Agencies Involved
Several federal and local partners supported the operation. That includes Homeland Security Investigations, the Department of Justice, the Office of the Director of National Intelligence, and the NYPD.
Other state and local agencies also provided technical help during the investigation.
Investigation Still Active
The Secret Service says this is an ongoing case. More details may be released as analysis continues and investigators learn more about the network’s operators and intent.
