Re: Encryption is now illegal? (Re: U.S. Secret Service shuts down NYC cellular disruption network)

[Mel Beckman via NANOG <nanog () lists nanog org>]

It's one thing if they discovered a criminal enterprise that was actually using this equipment as their communications 
hub,

But that’s precisely what the SS says:
“The U.S. Secret Service dismantled a network of electronic devices located throughout the New York tristate area that 
were used to conduct multiple telecommunications-related threats directed towards senior U.S. government officials,…”

and

“….early analysis indicates cellular communications between nation-state threat actors and individuals that are known 
to federal law enforcement.”

They dismantled a network that they found were actively prosecuting threats.

This wasn’t just some hacker’s randomly assembled kit of penetration tools. This clearly cost a lot of money to set up 
and maintain.

 -mel

On Sep 24, 2025, at 2:13 AM, nanog--- via NANOG <nanog () lists nanog org> wrote:

Upon actually reading the article, this looks overblown, typical of the current regime.

Having a lot of SIM cards, a lot of phones, having phones in a rack-mount form factor, and plugging SIM cards into 
things that are not phones are not illegal.

The fact that a cellphone network could be overloaded by a lot of phones doesn't make it illegal to have a lot of 
phones. Even if it /does/ overload the cellphone network, AFAIK it's still not illegal unless that was your intention.


Their other justification is even worse:

"These devices could be used for... facilitating anonymous, encrypted communication between potential threat actors and 
criminal enterprises" - MEGA YIKES. So they're outlawing encryption now? Anything that can send communication can send 
encrypted communication. It's one thing if they discovered a criminal enterprise that was actually using this equipment 
as their communications hub, as I believe the law allows them to seize stuff used for a crime regardless of its other 
uses. But only in America (and Russia, Iran, North Korea) can they legally seize stuff just because it /could 
hypothetically/ be used for a crime, and then not give it back.



On 23/09/2025 18:46, Mel Beckman via NANOG wrote:
The U.S. Secret Service announced today that it dismantled a network of electronic devices located throughout the New 
York tristate area that were used to conduct multiple telecommunications-related threats directed towards senior U.S. 
government officials, which represented an imminent threat to the agency’s protective operations.


The SS say they discovered more than 300 co-located SIM servers and 100,000 SIM cards across multiple sites, and while 
the photo they provide shows gear set up in what looks like an apartment, it could be that interlopers have infiltrated 
actual Internet colo facilities.


As a colo operator, I’ve turned away more than a few sketchy potential customers due to their flakey stories requesting 
rooftop or window antenna locations. Be on the lookout.



https://www.secretservice.gov/newsroom/releases/2025/09/us-secret-service-dismantles-imminent-telecommunications-threat-new-york#:~:text=NEW%20YORK%20–%20The%20U.S.%20Secret,SIM%20cards%20across%20multiple%20sites.<https://www.secretservice.gov/newsroom/releases/2025/09/us-secret-service-dismantles-imminent-telecommunications-threat-new-york#:~:text=NEW%2520YORK%2520%E2%80%93%2520The%2520U.S.%2520Secret,SIM%2520cards%2520across%2520multiple%2520sites.>



 -mel beckman
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