Knicks Ring Test Triggers Mandatory Class

Two Knicks employees who clicked a link in a fake email offering free championship rings are now required to take a mandatory cybersecurity class. The incident stems from a simulated phishing test sent by the organization in late September.

The email subject line read, "Congratulations, your Employee Championship Ring is here." The message instructed recipients to click a link to choose between two ring designs. Madison Square Garden staff who selected the link were flagged for additional training. The New York Times reported the details on Thursday, citing team sources.

Owner James Dolan, who also controls the New York Rangers and Madison Square Garden, reportedly ordered the training to address growing concerns about digital security. Dolan uses such tests to identify gaps in employee vigilance before a real scam can cause damage.

The lure relied on a timely hook. The Knicks won their first NBA championship in over 50 years recently. Joe Vardon, a senior NBA writer for The Athletic, noted that most NBA employees typically receive rings, even if their versions are less elaborate than the players' versions. This made the offer plausible to staff who might have been expecting such an item.

Simulated phishing is a standard practice in large companies. Organizations often send fake messages that mimic internal communications but contain subtle errors. For instance, Condé Nast, the parent company of Ars Technica, sends test emails from a misspelled domain address. It remains unclear if the Knicks email contained similar obvious red flags, such as a typo in the sender address.

The timing of the test coincided with another ring-related event. On Tuesday, the Knicks raised their first league championship banner since 1973. During the ceremony, assistant coaches received boxes that did not contain rings. The team stated that these staff members are expected to receive their rings at a later date.