Knicks owner James Dolan orders cyber class for staff who opened fake ring email

The New York Knicks organization deployed a simulated phishing campaign in late September to test employee vigilance against digital scams. The internal audit, reported by The New York Times, focused on how staff reacted to an email promising complimentary championship rings.

The message arrived with the subject line, "Congratulations, your Employee Championship Ring is here." It instructed recipients to click a link to select between two distinct ring designs. Madison Square Garden employees who clicked the link were flagged for further action. Those staff members are now required to attend a mandatory cybersecurity class.

The training initiative responds to growing concerns about digital security within the organization. James Dolan, who owns the Knicks, the New York Rangers, and Madison Square Garden, reportedly pushed for these measures to strengthen the team's digital defenses. Simulated phishing attacks are standard practice in large corporations to identify workers who miss warning signs in suspicious communications.

These tests often mimic legitimate internal correspondence but include subtle clues that reveal their false nature. For example, Condé Nast, the parent company of Ars Technica, uses a test domain with a misspelled name, "condenest.com," to catch untrained eyes. It remains unclear if the Knicks email contained similar obvious red flags such as a misspelled sender address.

The lure had a high degree of plausibility for employees. Joe Vardon, a senior NBA writer for The Athletic, noted that most NBA team staff receive championship rings, though their versions are less elaborate than those given to players. The offer gained extra credibility because the Knicks recently won their first NBA title in more than 50 years. Staff could reasonably expect a token of appreciation for that milestone.

Vardon's reporting also covered a separate incident involving ring distribution. On Tuesday, the Knicks raised their first league championship banner since 1973. During that ceremony, the team's assistant coaches received boxes that contained no rings. They are scheduled to receive their actual rings at a later date.

The phishing test serves as a practical lesson for the organization. By using a relevant and appealing topic, the company can measure how effectively its workforce detects threats. The outcome for the two employees who clicked the link is now a formal part of their onboarding into improved digital security protocols.