US Secret Service Dismantles Massive SIM Farm Threatening NYC Telecom Infrastructure

The U.S. Secret Service uncovered and is dismantling a large-scale SIM farm operation near the United Nations headquarters in New York City, involving over 100,000 active SIM cards across multiple facilities. These SIM farms, originally designed for legitimate purposes like affordable international calls, have been exploited for criminal activities such as mass phishing, scam calls, and potentially encrypted communications for organized crime, cartels, and terrorist groups. Authorities warn that the operation had the capability to disrupt cellular networks by overwhelming cell towers, potentially paralyzing New York City's phone service and sending millions of spam messages per minute. The investigation links this sophisticated network to foreign nation-states and well-funded organized crime groups, raising concerns about national security and infrastructure vulnerability. Experts emphasize that this event is not isolated; ongoing threats to telecommunications and power infrastructure persist, underscoring the critical need for vigilance in protecting connectivity and power systems against cyber and physical attacks. While the immediate threat was neutralized, the risk of similar attacks remains significant as digital and AI technologies evolve.