The Secret Service foiled a major telecom sabotage plot near the U.N., dismantling devices used for threats, DoS attacks, and encrypted comms.

New York

The U.S. Secret Service has announced the dismantling of a sophisticated and covert telecommunications network capable of disrupting cell phone service across New York City. The network, discovered near the United Nations headquarters, consisted of 300 SIM servers and 100,000 SIM cards, with the potential for further expansion. Authorities stated that known criminal cartels, terrorist groups, and foreign governments were using the system for encrypted, anonymous communication.

While there is no evidence linking the network to the ongoing United Nations conference or an active threat, officials emphasized the potential for widespread disruption, including interference with emergency services. The investigation began as part of efforts to address telecommunications threats against senior government officials and remains ongoing as authorities analyze the seized devices and seek to identify those responsible.

Secret Service halts network posing threat to telecom systems

The Secret Service says it has dismantled a high-tech threat able to take down cell phone service across New York City. This was all happening a short distance from where the world leaders are currently meeting at the United Nations. A lot of talk this morning about this as that news came out just before they gathered and right before President Trump took to that podium. The Secret Service says the consequences could potentially have been catastrophic. So Scripps News investigative reporter Patrick Terpstra is in our DC newsroom taking a look at this. And Patrick, what did the Secret Service find before this morning's assembly of the UN? Well, Holly, they're saying that it was a major hidden encrypted network of telecommunication devices discovered in the New York area. Details coming from the Secret Service New York field office. It's describing the discovery as shelves of 300 SIM servers and 100,000 SIM cards. Those are those cards that you find in cell phones. Also SIM cards that had not yet been activated with the possibility of doubling or tripling the size of this covert criminal network all found within 35 miles of the United Nations. Secret Service has not found any connection to the UN conference and says there is not an active threat or plot that they know about. But they are making clear that this could have caused significant disruption to communications in New York and beyond. Known cartels and terrorist groups were using the system to communicate anonymously with encryption. But the technology also had the potential to do something else, to interfere with wireless communications used by all of us, potentially to block cell phone calls and data, including access to EMS and 911 services. It also had the power to generate massive amounts of text messages able to send 30 million text messages a minute, lighting up phones across the entire nation within 12 minutes. Who might be responsible for building this covert network and why? Well right now they are not naming names. They say that they believe this was all built by known cartels, terrorist groups, and foreign governments that were using this system. Which foreign governments they are not yet saying, but they have said this is something that is going to take a lot of investigation. That investigation is ongoing. All of this came about when they started investigating telecommunications threats against senior government officials. So a lot of questions about timing, was this investigation underway because the UN was meeting or had this been going on for a while? We just don't know the answer to that. But a lot of data and information obviously inside those 100,000 SIM cards that the Secret Service discovered. They're going to be going through those right now. Secret Service dying to hold responsible whoever built this covert network. Holly. Spy movies are made of only. This is frighteningly real. So Scripps News investigative correspondent Patrick Terpstra live for us in Washington. Thank you for that update. We will look to you as you get more information on this. Thank you.

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