EXECUTIVE SUMMARY:

Due to the coronavirus related ‘stay-at-home’ orders, teams are pivoting to a “virtual” draft pick format.

“Usually, Draft Day security involves little more than checking credentials and keeping fans in line, but as franchises take their operations online this Thursday, cyber security experts say teams are vulnerable to online mischief-makers.”

One security expert says that hackers are not always motivated by malice or money. Rather, the appeal lies getting their name in the press, and indulging in 15 minutes of fame.

Ravens head coach, John Harbaugh, voiced concern regarding cyber security in relation to his team’s strategic playbook and draft meetings. “They [the IT teams] assure me we are doing everything humanly possible, and I remind them that that’s what…all those…places said about our private information, so I have some real concerns,”

The NFL has stated that during the draft, clubs will send in their selections to the NFL Player Personnel department via Microsoft Teams. In case of technical trouble, a contingency plan is on hand.

Zoom’s video conferencing platform will still be permissible to use within clubs and by individuals, but not between teams and the league office. “Assume what’s happening in Zoom is not staying in Zoom,” said Ekram Ahmed, spokesperson from cyber security firm Check Point Software. “You just have to have that mentality.”

Preventing embarrassing draft night snags is critical. To learn more about the role of IT in this year’s drafting, visit the International Business Times.