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Scrape Timestamp (UTC): 2025-09-23 15:50:09.290
Source: https://thehackernews.com/2025/09/us-secret-service-seizes-300-sim.html
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U.S. Secret Service Seizes 300 SIM Servers, 100K Cards Threatening U.S. Officials Near UN. The U.S. Secret Service on Tuesday said it took down a network of electronic devices located across the New York tri-state area that were used to threaten U.S. government officials and posed an imminent threat to national security. "This protective intelligence investigation led to the discovery of more than 300 co-located SIM servers and 100,000 SIM cards across multiple sites," the Secret Service said. The devices were concentrated within a 35-mile (56 km) radius of the global meeting of the United Nations General Assembly in New York City. An investigation into the incident has been launched by the Secret Service's Advanced Threat Interdiction Unit. Aside from issuing anonymous telephonic threats, the sophisticated devices could be weaponized to conduct various attacks on the telecommunications infrastructure, including disabling cell phone towers, triggering a denial-of-service, and facilitating encrypted communication between potential threat actors and criminal enterprises. The Secret Service also said early evidence points to cellular communications between nation-state threat actors and individuals that are known to federal law enforcement. It did not elaborate on who these actors are. The agency also did not identify the officials who were threatened, the nature of the threat, or the nations that may have been involved. CNN and NBC News reported that the network anonymously conveyed assassination threats against senior U.S. officials and that the probe uncovered empty electronic safehouses rented around the area, including Armonk, New York; Greenwich, Connecticut; Queens, New York; and across the river in New Jersey. "The potential for disruption to our country's telecommunications posed by this network of devices cannot be overstated," said U.S. Secret Service Director Sean Curran. "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."
Daily Brief Summary
The U.S. Secret Service dismantled a network of over 300 SIM servers and 100,000 SIM cards in the New York tri-state area, targeting U.S. officials.
This operation was critical due to the proximity to the United Nations General Assembly, highlighting the potential threat to national security.
The devices were capable of disabling telecommunications infrastructure, facilitating denial-of-service attacks, and enabling encrypted communications for threat actors.
Investigations revealed links between the network and nation-state actors, though specific countries and individuals involved remain undisclosed.
The network reportedly issued anonymous assassination threats against senior U.S. officials, raising significant security concerns.
The Secret Service's Advanced Threat Interdiction Unit is leading the investigation, emphasizing the agency's commitment to preventing threats to national security.
The discovery of empty electronic safehouses in New York, Connecticut, and New Jersey suggests a sophisticated operation with potential for widespread disruption.