IT professionals show password sharing the red card
London, United Kingdon – 15th September 2026: With the Premier League and F1 seasons now in full swing, a new survey of the IT professional community from SolarWinds reveals the striking similarities between sports and IT, including what IT pros see as the equivalent of red cards, own goals and match-winning moments.
In a survey of 432 global IT pros, almost two-thirds (65%) said that password sharing deserves an immediate red card, while more than half (54%) say employees falling for phishing attacks is like scoring an own goal.
However, success for IT professionals is less about being player of the match and more about keeping things running. Two thirds (66%) say that keeping the business online during an incident deserves a victory lap, while a further 61% say that completing a major migration is worthy of the same recognition.
That focus on reliability may also explain why almost half (49%) compare working in IT to Formula 1 or racing. Like a pit crew, IT teams often work behind the scenes, where rapid fixes and constant adjustments can make all the difference in keeping everything moving. And when asked what would make their jobs easier over the next year, almost two-thirds (64%) chose greater automation.
The community also shared some of the highs and lows behind those numbers, from patch day mishaps like broken bones and sore heads to failed recoveries and unexpected technical setbacks. But when things go right, IT teams celebrate too, with respondents sharing stories of pizza parties and the offer of a much-needed beer from a teammate after a long and challenging shift.
Commenting on the findings, Chrystal Taylor, Tech Evangelist at SolarWinds said: "Although tech and sport might seem worlds apart, there are some surprisingly strong similarities. In both, success often comes down to preparation, teamwork and how quickly you can recover when something goes wrong.
"IT teams have a lot in common with pit crews. You need everyone working from the same information, knowing their role and able to act quickly when the pressure is on. The right visibility, tools and automation can give IT teams that same advantage, helping them spot problems earlier and respond faster when every second counts."
To learn more about the findings, visit: https://thwack.solarwinds.com/discussion/152857/red-cards-f1-pit-stops-and-the-real-mvps-of-thwack
Methodology
The findings of the IT Community Pulse survey are based on research fielded in August 2026, which yielded responses from 432 respondents from the global SolarWinds THWACK® community.