Sports enthusiasts in New York might want to rethink their passwords.
According to a new study by Duelbits, a large number of sports fans nationwide are vulnerable to password hacks, particularly those connected to their beloved teams. New York fans are especially at risk, with six out of ten local teams making the top 20 list.
The research analyzed compromised password data to assess how often passwords tied to 124 teams across the MLB, NBA, NHL, and NFL were exposed.
A staggering 42,260,852 passwords associated with sports teams have been compromised in a data breach, with fans of the Yankees and Rangers among the most affected.
The findings indicate that Yankees fans have the second-highest risk, with 1,228,703 compromised passwords linked to their team.
The study examined various password variations that were breached, frequently employing simple tweaks of uppercase letters and numbers, like “newyorkyankees,” “newyorkyankees1,” and “yankees.”
However, fans of other sports in New York are not immune, and NHL supporters should be cautious as well.
The New York Rangers ranked as the third most at-risk sports team in the U.S., with 1,100,572 compromised passwords.
The New York Islanders came in 24th place with 587,111 compromised passwords, while the Buffalo Sabers ranked 58th with 246,021 breaches.
The New York Giants from the NFL ranked 11th, with 837,131 breach incidents, while the Jets were 19th with 652,100. The Buffalo Bills, on the other hand, were 66th with 227,024 breaches.
Basketball fans, particularly those supporting the New York Knicks, should consider changing their passwords too, as they are 16th with 709,722 compromised passwords. Across the river, the Brooklyn Nets ranked 28th with 533,899 breaches.
Moreover, the New York Mets landed in the 20th spot with 650,911 compromised passwords, marking them as the sixth New York team in the top 20.
In addition, two teams from Los Angeles also made the top 20, with the MLB’s Angels ranked 6th at 910,707 compromised passwords and the LA Lakers 17th with 708,193.
Overall, the Carolina Panthers from the NFL were found to be the most at risk, topping the list with 1,307,926 compromised passwords.
On the flip side, the Indianapolis Colts were the least at risk, with only 31,444 compromised passwords found in breaches.
Generally, NFL fans are the most susceptible, averaging 379,447 compromised passwords per team. The NBA follows with an average of 343,985, and the MLB at 335,251. NHL teams reported the lowest average at 304,420 breaches per team.
Cybersecurity expert James Boa emphasizes the dangers of using favorite teams as passwords, as this predictability can lead to easy hacking attempts. He notes, “The more commonly used, the more likely the password is to be guessed at scale.” Boa suggests opting for random words rather than predictable choices, even if it can be tough to remember them.
Top 25 Sports Teams with the Most Password Breaches
- Carolina Panthers (NFL) – 1,307,926 violations
- New York Yankees (MLB) – 1,228,703
- New York Rangers (NHL) – 1,100,572
- Dallas Cowboys (NFL) – 1,087,544
- Carolina Hurricanes (NHL) – 947,158
- Los Angeles Angels (MLB) – 910,707
- Oklahoma City Thunder (NBA) – 905,689
- Charlotte Hornets (NBA) – 885,521
- Boston Red Sox (MLB) – 870,537
- Florida Panthers (NHL) – 839,600
- New York Giants (NFL) – 837,131
- Las Vegas Raiders (NFL) – 793,699
- Detroit Tigers (MLB) – 793,151
- Phoenix Suns (NBA) – 790,755
- Orlando Magic (NBA) – 718,255
- New York Knicks (NBA) – 709,722
- Los Angeles Lakers (NBA) – 708,193
- Dallas Stars (NHL) – 707,145
- New York Jets (NFL) – 652,100
- New York Mets (MLB) – 650,911
- Dallas Mavericks (NBA) – 650,604
- Texas Rangers (MLB) – 611,064
- Pittsburgh Steelers (NFL) – 607,443
- New York Islanders (NHL) – 587,111
- Boston Celtics (NBA) – 550,823
