The U.S. Secret Service has announced the successful dismantling of a sophisticated criminal network that was capable of crippling telecommunications systems in New York at a time when world leaders, including President William Ruto, had gathered for the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA).
The agency revealed that the operation neutralised a major security threat targeting global leaders attending the summit.
According to a statement from the Secret Service released on Tuesday, the protective intelligence investigation led to the discovery of more than 300 co-located SIM servers and over 100,000 SIM cards.
These devices, strategically distributed across the New York tristate area, were allegedly set up to facilitate a wide range of cyber and telecommunications-related threats.
The seized devices had the capacity to launch anonymous telephonic threats, disable cell phone towers, enable denial-of-service attacks, and provide encrypted communications to potential threat actors and criminal enterprises.
Authorities warned that, if left unchecked, the network could have disrupted critical communications infrastructure in New York City.
Forensic analysis of the dismantled network is ongoing, but early findings suggest potential connections between the equipment and communications involving nation-state actors, as well as individuals already known to U.S. federal law enforcement.
Secret Service Director Sean Curran emphasised the gravity of the situation, noting that the potential disruption to U.S. telecommunications “cannot be overstated.” He stressed that the agency’s protective mission revolves around prevention and confirmed that any imminent threat to world leaders under their protection would be swiftly investigated and neutralised.
The timing of the discovery heightened concerns, as the devices were concentrated within a 35-mile radius of the UNGA venue in New York.
The global summit, which drew presidents, prime ministers, and diplomats from around the world, presented a prime target for disruption had the network remained operational.
The operation was spearheaded by the Secret Service’s Advanced Threat Interdiction Unit, a newly established section tasked with countering significant and imminent security threats.
The unit’s rapid response was credited with averting what could have been one of the most damaging telecommunications attacks in recent years.
Meanwhile, on the sidelines of the UNGA summit, President Ruto has engaged in bilateral talks with various world leaders to champion trade, diplomatic, and security relations.
