Devices seized near U.N. meeting could have shut down cellphone networks : NPR
A view of the United Nations building building in New York on September 17. The first day of high -level general debate for the 80th session of the United Nations General Assembly began on Tuesday.
Daniel Slim / AFP via Getty Images
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Daniel Slim / AFP via Getty Images
The American secret services said they had discovered a large network of electronic devices capable of disrupting mobile phones in New York before the meeting of the 80th anniversary of the United Nations General Assembly.
The agency responsible for protecting the president and the vice-president did not share proof of a specific conspiracy or threat against world leaders during the annual rally.
However, the director of American secret services Sean Curran said that the “potential” of damage was important, ranging from the deactivation of regional mobile phone towers to facilitate communications between criminals and foreign opponents. The network could also be used for espionage.
According to secret services, there were more than 300 SIM servers, 100,000 SIM cards and other illicit materials found in several sites in the Tristate region surrounding New York. Secret service agents are working alongside the New York Police Service and other law enforcement organizations, including internal security surveys to conduct a forensic analysis on devices. Matt McCool, the special agent in charge of the Washington American Secret Service Office, said that the forensic investigation has already revealed the involvement of at least one foreign nation, as well as several bad players already known to the police.
McCool said that the investigation was underway and that the agency had made the decision to share information on the threat to the public in the early stages “to protect critical infrastructure.”
The survey comes at a time when US national security officials and private sector experts follow the continuous violations of telecommunications companies, aimed at flying private communications from senior American officials, including President Trump. The responsible group, often called Typhoon Salt, has been linked to the Chinese government. The campaign was disclosed for the first time last year.
The American secret services did not say if the devices discovered in New York had a link with the operations of Typhon de Sel. However, McCool insisted that the investigation into this cache was launched after resuming threats linked to specific and specific telecommunications.
“Following several imminent threats to telecommunications related to senior US government officials this spring, the secret services launched an information protection investigation to determine the extent and the impact that these threats may have on protection operations,” said McCool.
If the network of devices aimed to disrupt or spy on the United Nations General Assembly, it would not be the first time that the diplomatic rally, which has attracted more than a hundred foreign officials and their staff, is targeted. Former intelligence officials described the opportunity as “the spy super bowl”. If the massive cache of devices was used to stop the mobile phones networks and potentially harm emergency communications, this would go beyond what could be an expected level of surveillance and espionage.
However, it is not known how long the network of devices operated around New York and whether or not its operators hoped to disturb geopolitical collection, rather than spying or organizing criminal activity in the region.
