The U.S. Secret Service has dismantled what it called an “imminent” nation state threat targeting New York City’s telecommunications infrastructure. The operation uncovered more than 100,000 SIM cards and 300 SIM servers hidden across multiple sites just days before world leaders arrived for the United Nations General Assembly.

The Telecom Threat Uncovered

Investigators found “SIM farms”  large clusters of SIM card servers capable of sending up to 30 million text messages per minute. Hidden in abandoned apartments across the New York tristate area, the network could have been used for:

• Disabling cell towers

• Coordinated denial of service (DoS) attacks

• Anonymous communication between foreign actors and criminal enterprises

According to Secret Service Director Sean Curran, the campaign had the potential to shut down cellular services across New York City, endangering government communications, emergency services, and the UN Assembly.

Nation State and Criminal Links

Early forensic analysis indicates the seized equipment was already used to facilitate communication between foreign threat actors and individuals known to federal law enforcement.

Experts linked the threat to tactics used by groups like Volt Typhoon, which are known to hijack routers and edge devices to build massive covert networks.

Scale of the Seizure

The dismantled network included:

• 300+ co-located SIM servers

• 100,000 SIM cards

• Equipment powerful enough to cripple telecom systems across New York

Investigators now face the challenge of analyzing 100,000 devices’ worth of data for evidence of coordinated activity.

Security Implications

The case highlights several critical risks:

• Telecommunications as a national security target

• SIM farms as tools for espionage, fraud, and disinformation

• Growing overlap between nation state campaigns and criminal enterprises

While no arrests have been made, the imminent threat was neutralized, and U.S. officials emphasized that New York’s telecom systems remain secure.

Conclusion

The Secret Service’s takedown of a vast SIM farm network in New York City prevented what could have been a devastating telecommunications outage during one of the world’s most high profile events. The operation underscores the vulnerability of critical infrastructure and the need for continuous monitoring against nation-state-backed cyber and telecom threats.

FAQs

1. What was dismantled in New York City?

A network of more than 300 SIM servers and 100,000 SIM cards capable of disrupting telecom services.

2. Why was this threat considered “imminent”?

It was discovered days before the UN Assembly and had the power to cripple New York’s cellular networks.

3. Who is suspected to be behind the attack?

While no group was named, investigators linked the tactics to nation state actors and criminal enterprises.

4. How could SIM farms be used maliciously?

They can send mass text messages, disable telecom infrastructure, or provide anonymous communication channels.

5. Were arrests made in this case?

No arrests have been reported, but the threat was fully neutralized.