Knicks Phishing Drill: Fake Ring Email Triggers Mandatory Training

Employees at Madison Square Garden face a mandatory cybersecurity class after clicking a simulated phishing email. The message, sent in late September, offered free championship rings to staff members. Those who opened the link must now complete the training session.

The email subject line read, "Congratulations, your Employee Championship Ring is here." It instructed recipients to click a link to select between two ring designs. The test was designed to measure how well staff identify suspicious communications. The New York Times reported the details on Thursday, citing team sources.

Owner James Dolan, who controls the Knicks, the Rangers, and the arena, reportedly increased the frequency of these tests. Dolan has expressed growing concerns about digital security risks facing the organization. The training aims to address these vulnerabilities directly.

Simulated phishing attacks are standard practice in large corporations. These tests often mimic internal communications to spot weak points in employee awareness. For example, Condé Nast, the parent company of Ars Technica, sends test emails from a misspelled domain, "condenest.com." It is unclear if the Knicks email contained similar obvious red flags.

The offer had a realistic basis. Senior NBA writer Joe Vardon noted that most NBA team employees receive rings, though they are less elaborate than the players' versions. The Knicks won their first championship in over 50 years, adding weight to the lure. Staff members might have found the offer plausible or merely irritating.

The phishing test occurred shortly before a related ring distribution event. On Tuesday, the Knicks raised their first championship banner since 1973. Assistant coaches received boxes at the ceremony, but the rings inside were not yet present. The team plans to distribute those physical rings at a later date.