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readability=\"26.186170212766\">\n<div class=\"single-article__header-content\" readability=\"35.491606714628\">\n<p> The threats included enabling encrypted communications between nefarious groups, and the announcement came amid a meeting of the U.N. General Assembly. <\/p>\n<p>  <br \/>\n<audio id=\"audio-player\" src=\"https:\/\/wp-tts-cdn.api.scpnewsgrp.com\/cyberscoop\/86081\/english.openai.mp3\"><\/audio> <\/p>\n<div readability=\"11\">\n<div>\n<p>Listen to this article<\/p>\n<p>  <\/p>\n<p>0:00<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<p>  <\/p>\n<p> <span id=\"tts-tooltip\">Learn more.<\/span> <span> This feature uses an automated voice, which may result in occasional errors in pronunciation, tone, or sentiment. <\/span> <\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p>  <\/div>\n<div class=\"single-article__cover-wrap\">\n<figure class=\"single-article__cover\"> <img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" fetchpriority=\"high\" width=\"640\" height=\"360\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/ddi.mohflo.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/secret-service-says-it-dismantled-extensive-telecom-threat-in-nyc-area.jpg?resize=640%2C360&ssl=1\" class=\"single-article__cover-image wp-post-image\" alt decoding=\"async\" fetchpriority=\"high\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ddi.mohflo.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/secret-service-says-it-dismantled-extensive-telecom-threat-in-nyc-area-2.jpg 3936w, https:\/\/ddi.mohflo.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/secret-service-says-it-dismantled-extensive-telecom-threat-in-nyc-area-2.jpg?resize=300,169 300w, https:\/\/ddi.mohflo.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/secret-service-says-it-dismantled-extensive-telecom-threat-in-nyc-area-2.jpg?resize=768,432 768w, https:\/\/ddi.mohflo.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/secret-service-says-it-dismantled-extensive-telecom-threat-in-nyc-area-2.jpg?resize=1024,577 1024w, https:\/\/ddi.mohflo.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/secret-service-says-it-dismantled-extensive-telecom-threat-in-nyc-area-2.jpg?resize=1536,865 1536w, https:\/\/ddi.mohflo.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/secret-service-says-it-dismantled-extensive-telecom-threat-in-nyc-area-2.jpg?resize=2048,1153 2048w, https:\/\/ddi.mohflo.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/secret-service-says-it-dismantled-extensive-telecom-threat-in-nyc-area-2.jpg?resize=600,337 600w, https:\/\/ddi.mohflo.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/secret-service-says-it-dismantled-extensive-telecom-threat-in-nyc-area-2.jpg?resize=298,168 298w, https:\/\/ddi.mohflo.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/secret-service-says-it-dismantled-extensive-telecom-threat-in-nyc-area-2.jpg?resize=1200,675 1200w, https:\/\/ddi.mohflo.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/secret-service-says-it-dismantled-extensive-telecom-threat-in-nyc-area-2.jpg?resize=1497,843 1497w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1200px) 100vw, 1200px\"><figcaption> The cell towers were said to be set up to be used against those attending the UN General Assembly. (Photo by Selcuk Acar\/Anadolu via Getty Images) <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/header>\n<div class=\"single-article__content\">\n<div class=\"single-article__content-inner has-drop-cap\"> <html readability=\"24.754005655042\"><body readability=\"53.09552238806\"><\/p>\n<p>The Secret Service said Tuesday that it disrupted a network of electronic devices in the New York City area that posed imminent telecommunications-based threats to U.S. government officials and potentially the United Nations General Assembly meeting currently underway.<\/p>\n<p>The range of threats included enabling encrypted communications between threat groups and criminals, or disabling cell towers and conducting denial-of-service attacks to shut down cell communications in the region. Matt McCool, special agent in charge of the Secret Service\u2019s New York field office, said the agency\u2019s early analysis of the network indicated \u201ccellular communications between foreign actors and individuals that are known to federal law enforcement.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>In all, the agency said it discovered more than 300 servers and 100,000 SIM cards spread across multiple sites within 35 miles of the U.N. meeting. The Secret Service announcement came the same day President Donald Trump was scheduled to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.cbsnews.com\/live-updates\/trump-united-nations-general-assembly-speech-unga\/\">deliver a speech<\/a> to the General Assembly.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThe potential for disruption to our country\u2019s telecommunications posed by this network of devices cannot be overstated,\u201d U.S. Secret Service Director Sean Curran said in <a href=\"https:\/\/www.secretservice.gov\/newsroom\/releases\/2025\/09\/us-secret-service-dismantles-imminent-telecommunications-threat-new-york\">a news release<\/a>.<\/p>\n<div class=\"ad ad--inline_1 \">\n<div class=\"ad__inner\"> <span class=\"screen-reader-text\">Advertisement<\/span> <\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>McCool said in a video statement that the investigation was ongoing, but the threat the network posed had been neutralized.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThese devices allowed anonymous, encrypted communications between potential threat actors and criminal enterprises, enabling criminal organizations to operate undetected,\u201d he said. \u201cThis network had the potential to disable cell phone towers and essentially shut down the cellular network in New York City.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWe will continue working toward identifying those responsible and their intent, including whether their plan was to disrupt the U.N. General Assembly and communications of government and emergency personnel during the official visit of world leaders in and around New York City,\u201d McCool continued.<\/p>\n<p>News outlets briefed on the operation reported that the network <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nbcnews.com\/politics\/national-security\/secret-service-agents-dismantle-system-used-convey-assassination-threa-rcna233115\">anonymously conveyed assassination threats<\/a> against senior U.S. officials, that the agency had never seen such <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nytimes.com\/2025\/09\/23\/us\/politics\/secret-service-sim-cards-servers-un.html\">an extensive operation<\/a>, that the investigation <a href=\"https:\/\/www.cnn.com\/2025\/09\/23\/us\/swatting-investigation-server-network-discovered\">uncovered empty electronic safehouses<\/a> rented around the area and that hackers, terrorists, spies and human traffickers could\u2019ve made use of the network. The investigation reportedly began in response to <a href=\"https:\/\/cyberscoop.com\/fbi-warning-the-com-cybercrime-extortion-violence\/\">swatting<\/a> and bomb threats against U.S. officials.<\/p>\n<p>Other participants in the investigation were the Department of Homeland Security\u2019s Homeland Security Investigations, the Department of Justice, the Office of the Director of National Intelligence and the New York Police Department.<\/p>\n<p><\/body> <\/p>\n<footer class=\"single-article__footer\">\n<div class=\"author-card\" readability=\"7.7216117216117\">\n<div class=\"author-card__avatar\">\n<figure class=\"author-card__image-wrap\"> <img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"author-card__image\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/ddi.mohflo.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/secret-service-says-it-dismantled-extensive-telecom-threat-in-nyc-area-1.jpg?w=640&ssl=1\" alt=\"Tim Starks\"> <\/figure>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"author-card__details\" readability=\"10.901098901099\">\n<h4 class=\"author-card__name\">Written by Tim Starks<\/h4>\n<p> Tim Starks is senior reporter at CyberScoop. His previous stops include working at The Washington Post, POLITICO and Congressional Quarterly. An Evansville, Ind. native, he’s covered cybersecurity since 2003. Email Tim here: <a href=\"mailto:tim.starks@cyberscoop.com\">tim.starks@cyberscoop.com<\/a>. <\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"single-article__tags-container\">\n<h4 class=\"single-article__tags-title\">In This Story<\/h4>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/footer>\n<p> <\/html><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<div class=\"single-article__ads js-single-article-sidebar\">\n<div class=\"ad ad--sidebar js-single-article-sidebar-5 ad--rightrail_1 \">\n<div class=\"ad__inner\"> <span class=\"screen-reader-text\">Advertisement<\/span> <\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"ad ad--sidebar js-single-article-sidebar-4 ad--rightrail_2 \">\n<div class=\"ad__inner\"> <span class=\"screen-reader-text\">Advertisement<\/span> <\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"ad ad--sidebar js-single-article-sidebar-3 ad--rightrail_3 \">\n<div class=\"ad__inner\"> <span class=\"screen-reader-text\">Advertisement<\/span> <\/div>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<\/article>\n<div class=\"popular-stories popular-stories--single-post\">\n<div 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{"id":8007,"date":"2025-09-23T08:44:19","date_gmt":"2025-09-23T13:44:19","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/cyberscoop.com\/?p=86081"},"modified":"2025-09-23T08:44:19","modified_gmt":"2025-09-23T13:44:19","slug":"secret-service-says-it-dismantled-extensive-telecom-threat-in-nyc-area","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/ddi.mohflo.net\/index.php\/2025\/09\/23\/secret-service-says-it-dismantled-extensive-telecom-threat-in-nyc-area\/","title":{"rendered":"Secret Service says it dismantled extensive telecom threat in NYC area"},"content":{"rendered":"