A significant network of illegal electronic devices, capable of disabling cell towers and disrupting 911 calls across New York City, was revealed by the Secret Service just before world leaders were set to gather in Manhattan for the UN General Assembly, officials announced on Tuesday.
The investigation led to the discovery of a staggering number of devices, including over 300 co-located SIM servers and 100,000 SIM cards, located at various sites within 35 miles of the United Nations headquarters.
According to Secret Service Director Sean Curran, “The threat posed by this network of devices to our nation’s telecommunications is immense.”
Officials cautioned that these devices could execute an array of telecommunications attacks, including flooding networks with up to 30 million text messages per minute, which could lead to “catastrophic” outcomes for the city.
Moreover, investigators suspect the network may be connected to spam threats against US officials and have communicated with individuals in other countries.
The federal investigation is examining possible ties between the devices and a foreign government.
Matt McCool warned, “This could incapacitate cell towers, leaving individuals unable to communicate. Imagine if this coincided with another event during UNGA; the ramifications could be devastating for the city.”
He emphasized, “Considering the timing, location, and potential for severe disruptions to New York’s telecommunications, swift action was taken to neutralize this network.”
Details regarding precisely when the cache of devices was captured or their specific intended use remain unclear.
However, sources within law enforcement mentioned that similar operations have been uncovered in California and the Midwest in recent weeks.
While the ongoing investigation suggests links to spam calls, it is also possible the operation had a more innocuous function, such as acting as a proxy for international calling services.
Cybersecurity experts have raised alarms about the possible security threats stemming from these devices.
“My instinct tells me this is espionage,” stated Anthony Ferrante, head of the cybersecurity practice at consulting firm FTI, in comments to the New York Times.
He pointed out that the setup exhibits clear indicators of a sophisticated operation, potentially used for eavesdropping as global leaders arrive in Manhattan.
James Lewis, a cybersecurity researcher at the Center for European Policy Analysis in Washington, indicated that the list of countries capable of conducting such an operation is limited, including nations like Russia, China, and Israel.
The hidden network surfaced during a comprehensive Secret Service investigation that began in the spring, triggered by telecommunications-related threats aimed at senior US government officials, according to the authorities.
When the agents executed the raid, they found rows of servers and shelves laden with SIM cards—over 100,000 of which had been activated, alongside a significant number pending deployment, as noted by McCool.
He also highlighted the potential chaos that the network could have inflicted if it had remained operational, likening it to the cellular blackouts that occurred following the 9/11 attacks.
Although officials stated they have not identified a direct plot to disrupt the UN General Assembly, they asserted that there is currently no imminent threat to New York City.
Authorities continue to investigate the responsible parties and suspect that individuals from certain countries may have employed the system to relay encrypted messages to organized crime syndicates, cartels, and terrorist entities.
McCool remarked that forensic analysis is just in its initial stages. “We need to conduct forensic examinations on 100,000 cell phones, tracking all calls and text messages to determine where those numbers are directed,” he explained.
