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U.S. authorities have uncovered and dismantled a large-scale covert network of electronic devices capable of severely disrupting cellular communications across New York City. The discovery came just days before the opening of the United Nations General Assembly, which draws global attention and heightened security concerns.
The U.S. Secret Service revealed that over 100,000 SIM cards, along with more than 300 SIM servers, were located across multiple concealed sites within a 35-mile radius of New York City. These so-called “SIM farms” were hidden inside disused buildings and were strategically placed to affect telecommunications infrastructure throughout the region.
The system posed a significant threat to both public and governmental communications. Officials stated that the setup had the capacity to send up to 30 million text messages per minute and could have been used to carry out denial-of-service attacks, disrupt cellular towers, or enable secure, anonymous communication between foreign operatives and criminal networks.
Investigators have not disclosed specific attribution but indicated that the equipment appears to have been used in connection with attempts to interfere with senior U.S. officials’ communications. Early forensic analysis suggests links to foreign threat actors already known to law enforcement, according to CBS News.
Although no arrests have been made, officials emphasized that the network has been fully neutralized. Authorities are currently analyzing the massive volume of data associated with the operation—comparable to data generated by 100,000 mobile devices.
One of the primary concerns was the system’s potential to disrupt cellular networks during high-profile events, particularly the UN General Assembly. In addition to diplomatic and government activity, interference with mobile infrastructure could have affected emergency services city-wide.
While the motivation behind this specific campaign is still under investigation, similar SIM-based infrastructures have previously been exploited for large-scale fraud, including phishing campaigns targeting toll payment systems. Analysts have noted a sharp increase in such attacks across several U.S. states since early 2025.
The incident underscores the vulnerabilities in urban telecom systems and highlights the growing complexity of securing digital infrastructure against both cyber and physical threats.
