The Secret Service in the United States has taken down a network of electronic devices near the United Nations headquarters in New York in anticipation of a speech by the US president. The agency disclosed that it had detected an “imminent threat” to Donald Trump as world leaders convened in New York for the UN General Assembly. The network, composed of SIM cards and servers, had the potential to disrupt the telephone network and impede 911 emergency calls.
Responsible for safeguarding Trump and other high-ranking officials, the Secret Service uncovered approximately 300 SIM servers and 100,000 SIM cards spread across various locations in the New York tristate area. This extensive network had the capability to disrupt mobile networks and secure communication among hostile entities, according to the agency director, Sean Curran.
Authorities cautioned that the devices within the network could conduct a variety of telecommunications attacks, such as inundating networks with up to 30 million text messages per minute, leading to severe consequences for the city. Special Agent Matt McCool of the Secret Service’s New York field office emphasized the potential catastrophic impact on communication services in the event of a disruption, especially during the UN General Assembly.
The discovery of the hidden network was part of a comprehensive Secret Service investigation initiated in the spring following threats related to telecommunications targeting senior US government officials. During the subsequent raids on the locations, agents found numerous servers and shelves filled with SIM cards, both activated and awaiting deployment, exceeding 100,000 units.
McCool mentioned that the forensic analysis of the vast number of cell phones and communications data is still in its early stages. Although there were no specific threats reported against the General Assembly, the Secret Service swiftly dismantled the network due to its proximity to the global summit, located within 35 miles.
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