The U.S. Secret Service announced on Tuesday the successful dismantling of a network of electronic devices in the New York tristate area.
These devices were reportedly used to execute telecommunications-related threats against senior U.S. government officials. The operation took place within a 35-mile radius of the United Nations General Assembly meeting in New York City.
According to Fox News, the Secret Service's investigation uncovered over 300 co-located SIM servers and 100,000 SIM cards across various locations. The agency stated, "In addition to carrying out anonymous telephonic threats, these devices could be used to conduct a wide range of telecommunications attacks. This includes disabling cell phone towers, enabling denial of services attacks and facilitating anonymous, encrypted communication between potential threat actors and criminal enterprises."
The ongoing forensic examination has already revealed cellular communications between nation-state threat actors and individuals known to federal law enforcement.
The investigation is being supported by the Department of Homeland Securitys Homeland Security Investigations, the Department of Justice, the Office of the Director of National Intelligence, the New York Police Department, and other state and local law enforcement agencies. U.S. Secret Service Director Sean Curran emphasized the gravity of the situation, stating, "The potential for disruption to our countrys telecommunications posed by this network of devices cannot be overstated."
He further remarked, "The U.S. Secret Services protective mission is all about prevention, and this investigation makes it clear to potential bad actors that imminent threats to our protectees will be immediately investigated, tracked down and dismantled."
The Secret Service acted swiftly to neutralize the threat, given the timing and potential for significant disruption to New York's telecommunications. Meanwhile, President Donald Trump is scheduled to deliver an address at the U.N. General Assembly on Tuesday, underscoring the importance of maintaining security during such high-profile events.
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