Secret Service dismantles NY network capable of crippling phone systems

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00:00Hello, my name is Matt McCool and I'm the Special Agent in Charge of the Secret Service

00:05New York Field Office. We are making this announcement as a matter of public interest

00:09given timing, amount, and concentration of material recovered during a recent Secret Service

00:15Protective Intelligence investigation. The investigation led us to the New York Tri-State

00:19area where investigators discovered tens of thousands of co-located and networked

00:24cellular devices capable of carrying out nefarious telecommunications attacks. These devices

00:31allowed anonymous encrypted communications between potential threat actors and criminal enterprises,

00:37enabling criminal organizations to operate undetected. This network had the potential to

00:42disable cell phone towers and essentially shut down the cellular network in New York City. These

00:47devices were concentrated within 35 miles of the global meeting of the United Nations General Assembly

00:54now underway in New York City. Given the timing, location, and proximity, and potential for

01:00significant disruptions to the New York telecom system, we move quickly to disrupt this network.

01:06To be clear, these recovered devices no longer pose a threat to the New York Tri-State area.

01:12We will continue working towards identifying those responsible and their intent, including whether

01:18their plan was to disrupt the UN General Assembly and communications of government and emergency personnel

01:24during the official visit of world leaders in and around New York City. Forensic examinations of

01:29the equivalent of 100,000 cell phones worth of data is underway. Early analysis indicates cellular

01:36communications between foreign actors and individuals that are known to federal law enforcement.

01:42Given the sensitivity and complexity of this investigation, we are not able to go into specifics at this time.

01:48This is an open and active investigation, and we have no arrests to announce today. Rather,

01:53this announcement is designed to safeguard critical infrastructure and responsibly provide the public

01:59what we can at this time. The Secret Service will continue to run down all leads until we fully

02:04understand the intent of the operation and identify those responsible.