Knicks Staff Clicked Fake Ring Link, Triggering Mandated Security Class

The New York Knicks organization tested its employees' ability to detect scams by sending them an email promising free championship rings, The New York Times reported on Thursday.

The message was distributed in late September with the subject line "Congratulations, your Employee Championship Ring is here." It instructed recipients to click a link to select between two ring designs. According to the report, which cited team sources, Madison Square Garden employees who clicked the link were required to attend a mandatory cybersecurity class. The training was designed to address concerns about cybersecurity held by owner James Dolan, who also owns the New York Rangers and Madison Square Garden.

Simulated phishing messages are used by large companies to determine which workers overlook warning signs in suspicious emails. These tests often appear to come from the employer but contain clues that expose them. Joe Vardon, a senior NBA writer for The Athletic, noted that most employees of NBA teams typically receive rings, though theirs are generally less elaborate or costly than player versions. The offer was also tied to the Knicks having recently won their first NBA championship in more than 50 years.

A separate ring-related episode was the focus of Vardon's article. On Tuesday, the Knicks raised their first league championship banner since 1973, and the team's assistant coaches were handed boxes with no rings inside. They are expected to receive their rings at a later date.

It is not clear whether the Knicks email contained warning signs such as a misspelled domain.