New York Sports Fans Are Using Easy Passwords Hackers Love

If your password includes the name of your favorite New York sports team, it may be time for a change.

Get our free mobile app

A new study from Duelbits found that millions of sports-related passwords have already been exposed in data breaches, and New York fans are showing up on the list more than almost anywhere else.

Yankees fans are near the top

New York Yankees fans ranked second in the country for password breaches, with more than 1.2 million leaked passwords tied to the team. Researchers found common passwords included simple choices like “yankees,” “newyorkyankees,” and versions with numbers added to the end. That means hackers may already know exactly what to try first.

Several New York teams made the list

It wasn’t just New York Yankees fans at risk. New York Rangers fans ranked third nationwide with more than 1.1 million breached passwords. New York Giants ranked 11th, New York Knicks ranked 16th, New York Jets ranked 19th, and New York Mets ranked 20th. New York Islanders also made the top 25, while the Buffalo Bills and Buffalo Sabres also appeared lower on the list.

Why this matters

Cybersecurity experts say sports-related passwords are easy to guess, especially if your social media makes it obvious which team you love. Experts recommend using unique passwords with letters, numbers, and symbols. If your password is tied to your favorite team, now may be a smart time to switch things up.