On September 23, 2025, the U.S. Secret Service announced that it had dismantled a sophisticated telecommunications threat network located in the New York tri-state area, targeting senior U.S. government officials during the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) from September 9 to 29, 2025. The network, according to the USSS, comprised 300 SIM servers and 100,000 SIM cards, posing an imminent threat to national security. It had the potential to disrupt cell networks, enable anonymous communications, or execute denial-of-service (DoS) attacks.
What We Know: The Secret Service Briefing
The U.S. Secret Service announced today that its Advanced Threat Interdiction Unit disrupted a network of electronic devices spread across multiple sites within a 35-mile radius of the UNGA in New York City. The operation uncovered 300 co-located SIM servers and 100,000 SIM cards used to issue telecommunications threats against senior U.S. officials, representing a direct challenge to the agency’s protective mission.
“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.”
Preliminary forensic analysis revealed communications between nation-state threat actors and individuals known to federal law enforcement, pointing to a complex, possibly state-backed operation.
Prior SIM Server Operations
SIM server networks, often called SIM boxes, are not new to law enforcement. Globally, similar setups have been dismantled, primarily for telecom fraud. In 2020, Mumbai police seized 10,000 SIM cards used for illegal call rerouting, costing telecom providers millions. In 2023, Europol’s Operation Pandora targeted a Europe-wide network with 50,000 SIM cards, focusing on fraud and money laundering. These cases, although smaller in scale, demonstrate the versatility of SIM servers for illicit communications.
What the USSS uncovered in New York appears to be unprecedented in scale: 100,000 SIMs and 300 servers, which provide capabilities beyond fraud, such as overloading cell networks or enabling covert communications for espionage or sabotage. The proximity to the UNGA and targeting of officials suggest a strategic motive, possibly disrupting diplomatic activities or surveilling high-profile figures —a tactic commonly associated with nation-state actors.
Cost and Complexity
The financial and technical complexity of the New York operation is substantial. Estimating costs, the hardware, support infrastructure, site rentals, utilities, personnel, and operational tools place the estimated cost at approximately $ 1.25 million. A scale that may be feasible only for criminals or nation-states.
What We Need to Wait to Learn
Several critical questions remain unanswered.
- The identity of the “nation-state threat actors” and “individuals known to federal law enforcement” is unclear, with forensic analysis ongoing. Were specific countries (e.g., Russia, China) or known criminal groups involved?
- Did the network cause actual disruptions, such as dropped calls or outages, before its dismantling?
- What does the supply chain look like? Acquiring 100,000 SIMs and 300 servers is not difficult, but doing so and deploying them undetected is clearly of interest.
- Was the operation purely disruptive, or did it aim to intercept sensitive communications?
As the investigation unfolds, identifying the actors and their full objectives will be critical to preventing future threats.
