Secret Service Says It Thwarted Potential Telecom Attack in NYC
The U.S. Secret Service stopped an "imminent telecommunications threat" near the United Nations and throughout the surrounding New York area, the agency said Tuesday. The threats targeted senior U.S. government officials and were capable of potentially disabling cell towers, initiating denial-of-service attacks and "facilitating anonymous, encrypted communication between potential threat actors and criminal enterprises."
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The network of devices had the potential to "essentially shut down the cellular network in New York City," as it was concentrated within 35 miles of the U.N., said Matt McCool, special agent in charge of the Secret Service New York field office, in prerecorded remarks.
The U.N. is hosting its General Assembly, including hundreds of world leaders and senior U.S. officials. "Given the timing, location and potential for significant disruption to New York telecommunications posed by these devices, the agency moved quickly to disrupt this network," the Secret Service said. It's now investigating whether the goal was to disrupt the General Assembly and "communications of government and emergency personnel during the official visit of world leaders."
The Secret Service launched a probe in spring 2025 that led to the discovery of more than 300 collocated SIM servers and 100,000 SIM cards, the agency said, adding that early analysis suggests communications between "nation-state threat actors" and individuals known to law enforcement.