U.S. Secret Service Uncovers 100,000 SIM Cards That “Could Have Disabled the New York City Cellular Network”

The U.S. Secret Service has seized more than 300 SIM boxes and 100,000 SIM cards in the New York metropolitan area, equipment that officials say could have posed an “immediate threat to national security” and had the potential to “disable the cellular network in New York City.”

Discovery Near the United Nations

The network of electronic devices was concentrated around the venue for the United Nations General Assembly. According to the agency, the equipment was located within a 35-mile (56 km) radius of the meeting site, spanning New York, New Jersey, and Connecticut.

BBC reporting indicates that the devices were uncovered in at least five locations, including abandoned apartment buildings.

Investigation Triggered by Threats

The SIM farms came to light during an investigation into “anonymous telephone threats” made against several high-ranking U.S. government officials. While the threats initially drew investigators’ attention, authorities believe the system’s capabilities extended well beyond harassing phone calls.

Potential for Large-Scale Disruption

Law enforcement officials suggest the network could have been used to disable cell towers, launch distributed denial-of-service (DDoS) attacks, or provide encrypted and anonymous communications between malicious actors and criminal groups.

Although the analysis of the seized equipment is still in its early stages, preliminary findings point to the involvement of “government entities” and individuals already “known to federal law enforcement agencies.” These details raise the possibility that the system may have been operated on behalf of an unnamed foreign intelligence service.