(US, 24th) Just hours before President Trump delivered his speech at the United Nations General Assembly, the US Secret Service announced that they had dismantled a sophisticated electronic device network in the New York area used to threaten US government officials.
The Secret Service declared on Tuesday (September 23) that these devices were concentrated within a 35-mile (56-kilometer) radius of the United Nations General Assembly.
Reuters quoted the statement: “Preliminary analysis indicates cellphone communications between nation-state threat actors and individuals known to federal law enforcement.”
Authorities seized more than 300 user identification module (SIM) servers and 100,000 SIM cards at multiple locations. The Secret Service pointed out that this operation eliminated an urgent threat to their protective mission. These devices were used to carry out multiple telecom-related threats against senior US government officials.
Matt McCool, head of the Secret Service’s New York Field Office, said in a video statement: “This network had the potential to cripple cellphone towers and essentially shut down New York City’s cellular network.”
He stated that these devices no longer pose a threat to the New York area.
The White House has not yet responded to requests for comment.
These devices may have been used to launch a series of telecom attacks, including paralyzing mobile base stations, launching cyber-security attacks, and enabling encrypted communications between criminal organizations and threat actors.
This network covered regions including New York State, Connecticut, and New Jersey. McCool said the Secret Service began investigating in the spring, working with other federal and local agencies to track these devices. Forensic analysts are examining data equivalent to 100,000 phones.
The Secret Service said it is currently unable to disclose in detail who is behind this plot.
The Secret Service declared on Tuesday (September 23) that these devices were concentrated within a 35-mile (56-kilometer) radius of the United Nations General Assembly.
Reuters quoted the statement: “Preliminary analysis indicates cellphone communications between nation-state threat actors and individuals known to federal law enforcement.”
Authorities seized more than 300 user identification module (SIM) servers and 100,000 SIM cards at multiple locations. The Secret Service pointed out that this operation eliminated an urgent threat to their protective mission. These devices were used to carry out multiple telecom-related threats against senior US government officials.
Matt McCool, head of the Secret Service’s New York Field Office, said in a video statement: “This network had the potential to cripple cellphone towers and essentially shut down New York City’s cellular network.”
He stated that these devices no longer pose a threat to the New York area.
The White House has not yet responded to requests for comment.
These devices may have been used to launch a series of telecom attacks, including paralyzing mobile base stations, launching cyber-security attacks, and enabling encrypted communications between criminal organizations and threat actors.
This network covered regions including New York State, Connecticut, and New Jersey. McCool said the Secret Service began investigating in the spring, working with other federal and local agencies to track these devices. Forensic analysts are examining data equivalent to 100,000 phones.
The Secret Service said it is currently unable to disclose in detail who is behind this plot.