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US Secret Service Busts Telecom Attack Network Near UNGA Venue In New York Ahead Of Trump's Speech

The US Secret Service dismantled a large network of SIM card servers and cards near New York City, capable of disrupting telecommunications and enabling anonymous threats. The network, discovered during the UN General Assembly.

The United States Secret Service on Tuesday announced the dismantling of a sophisticated network of devices in the New York area, which officials said had the capability to cripple telecommunications systems and enable anonymous telephonic threats. The disclosure came as global leaders convened in New York City for the ongoing United Nations General Assembly, United States President Donald Trump is set to address the gathering this evening.

Hundreds of SIM Servers, Thousands of Cards Seized

In its statement, the agency confirmed the discovery of more than 300 SIM card servers and 100,000 SIM cards spread across several sites within a 35-mile radius of New York. These devices, authorities said, posed a major risk to telecom infrastructure.

“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 Secret Service noted in its statement.

The agency added that a forensic probe was under way. “While forensic examination of these devices is ongoing, early analysis indicates cellular communications between nation-state threat actors and individuals that are known to federal law enforcement,” it stated.

US Secret Service Director Sean Curran underlined the scale of the danger. “The potential for disruption to America’s telecommunications by this network of devices cannot be overstated,” he said.

He further stressed the agency’s mission of prevention: “The U.S. Secret Service’s 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.”

Link to Earlier Impersonation Incidents Under Scrutiny

According to Bloomberg, investigators have not yet established whether this network is connected to earlier cases from this year when unknown individuals impersonated White House Chief of Staff Susie Wiles and Secretary of State Marco Rubio.

A State Department cable had earlier flagged that an unidentified person created a Signal account under Rubio’s name in mid-June and left voice and text messages for at least five people, including “three foreign ministers, a US governor, and a US Congress member.”

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