Sophisticated Threat Network Dismantled Near U.N. General Assembly

The U.S. Secret Service announced on Tuesday the successful dismantling of a sophisticated network of electronic devices operating in the New York area. These devices posed significant threats to U.S. government officials as foreign leaders gathered for the U.N. General Assembly.

According to early analyses by the Secret Service, cellular communications connected nation-state threat actors with individuals known to federal law enforcement. In a major operation, authorities seized over 300 SIM servers and 100,000 SIM cards from multiple locations.

The seized equipment had the potential to execute various telecommunications-related threats, including disabling cell phone towers, enabling denial-of-service attacks, and facilitating encrypted, anonymous communications among potential threat actors and criminal entities, the Secret Service reported.

(With inputs from agencies.)