This power would only have been available through demonic activity. Satan had tempted Christ by challenging Him to purchase the kingdoms of this world from Satan. Simon believed that others had purchased supernatural abilities from existing holders. He wanted to make a similar arrangement. Simon was sinful because he imagined that such power was for sale by the apostles.
Skepticism is more common today.
There are modern illusionists who argue that all of the miracles performed by people in the Bible were either illusions or events that did not take place. I once exchanged a series of letters with a Christian who was a professional illusionist. He insisted that Satan does not possess such supernatural abilities. He went so far as to argue that the contest between Moses and Pharaoh's magicians involved illusions on both sides. He denied that the rods had become snakes.