GoKawiilKnicks ran phishing test offering staff fake championship rings
Madison Square Garden employees received a late-September email claiming 'your Employee Championship Ring is here,' asking them to click a link and pick from two ring designs, according to The New York Times. Employees who clicked were required to attend a mandatory cybersecurity class, team sources told the Times, as owner James Dolan has grown increasingly concerned about cybersecurity.
GoKawiil's interpretation of the reporting above, not reported fact.
The test highlights how convincing phishing simulations have become when tailored to an organization's own context, since an offer of a championship ring was plausible enough given the Knicks' recent title. It also shows corporate leadership, in this case Dolan, treating cybersecurity training as an organizational priority worth testing through deception rather than just policy memos.
- The phishing test email falsely promised employees free championship rings with a design choice.
- Staff who clicked the link had to attend mandatory cybersecurity training, per team sources.
- NBA teams commonly give staff rings, which made the fake offer especially believable.
Source: arstechnica.com, 2026-10-23
Published there as: “Knicks sent employees fake offer of championship rings in phishing test: Report”
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