Version: 2008

Comments on: Alleged Palin hacker indicted

College student accused of hacking into vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin's e-mail account was indicted Tuesday and has turned himself in to authorities.

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by n3td3v October 8, 2008 7:08 AM PDT
ha ha ha, five years for hacking a yahoo account.
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by Lethality October 8, 2008 8:12 AM PDT
Hacking into a government system is one thing... there's no one to blame here thought except for Palin and Yahoo.
by compudoc318 October 8, 2008 4:11 PM PDT
no one to blame??? blame the idiot hacker for thinking he could get away with it! enjoy jail hack boy!
by umbrae October 8, 2008 7:30 AM PDT
Funny how no one mentions how easy it was to hack Palin's account. Do we really need more politicians in wash that cannot surf the web, check email, or make common sense precautions when securing their accounts? I say this kid should be commended for provided a public service; however, posting the information publicly was what did him in.
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by askgees October 8, 2008 7:54 AM PDT
Your a fool.
by Lerianis October 8, 2008 9:40 AM PDT
No, he isn't. The fact is that this would be a good learning lesson for the feds and others about how INsecure most web e-mail servers are, especially when you do not use a good password.
by umbrae October 8, 2008 10:17 AM PDT
I am a vetted Software Engineer for a Fortune 500 company. Call me a fool, but I know Computer/Application Security. Any politicians that uses Yahoo, GMail or Hotmail/Live (even personally) should be instantly thrown out of office. These systems are not secure nor private, and obviously they do not have the common sense to properly protect themselves from more tech-savvy children.
by Kwasiowusu October 8, 2008 10:38 AM PDT
:"Any politicians that uses Yahoo, GMail or Hotmail/Live (even personally) should be instantly thrown out of office"

Proof positive that you are nuts.
Tens of millions of normal Americans use web based email, and millions of them deal with more senstive information than mere politicians. As it turns out, this Obama hacker of Gov Palin's email came up with NOTHING.
If you wanna throw someone out of office, go throw away the vermint Barney Franks, and his cohorts, who put in place the conditions (home loans to uncreditworthy individulals by Frddy and Sally) that made this current finacial metldown happen
by umbrae October 8, 2008 11:01 AM PDT
"Proof positive that you are nuts.
Tens of millions of normal Americans use web based email, and millions of them deal with more senstive information than mere politicians. As it turns out, this Obama hacker of Gov Palin's email came up with NOTHING. "

That does not make it safe nor mean their information is secure. This hacker made things public because he meant no real harm: it was only meant to embarrass Palin. If someone REALLY wanted to do you harm, you would never know they did anything until it was too late. Also, Web-Based email is not the same a Cloud Computing, and Google, Yahoo and MS reads and records EVERY message you sent through their system.
by kieranmullen October 8, 2008 4:25 PM PDT
Doubtful she was conducting official business using that account anyway. She most likely has a AK state email and other accounts as well.
by umbrae October 9, 2008 7:51 AM PDT
"Doubtful she was conducting official business using that account anyway. She most likely has a AK state email and other accounts as well."

Actually, the emails released to the public shows she was using it for official business and included emails to other members of her staff to do the same. This was to avoid normal discovery with the pending subpoenas. Very similar to what the Bush administration did, but at least they moved to another govt email system: just one that did not do any retention and was specifically not to be used for govt business.
by feudi October 8, 2008 7:41 AM PDT
What an asinine comment by Umbrae! How in the world can anyone blame Sarah Palin for some goofy kid breaking into her email account? It's comments like this that make me just shake my head in wonder at what is happening in America. If this teaches us anything, it's that vendors like Yahoo need to look at their security systems.
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by bmarko2 October 8, 2008 8:41 AM PDT
She had govt info in her yahoo account. That's illegal!!! She avoids checks and balances and review by using a commercial service to conduct business. This kid did a public service by exposing how dumb this lady is. If she's going to use a computer she should know that accessing a yahoo or any free account is simple. It's not even hacking. It's common sense that you don't use easy security questions if you're a public figure. She's and idiot and I'll give you the benefit of the doubt that you just don't know what you're talking about here. They are going to prosecute this kids to make it appear like it wasn't her fault. That's not right.
by umbrae October 8, 2008 10:05 AM PDT
The account was not hacked. The kid gained access by answering questions that PALIN answered with information PUBLICALLY AVAILABLE AND EASILY SEARCHABLE. This is the same as hiding a key under the doormat and putting a red sign on the door saying "Extra Key Under Doormat". If you did that, any person would call you an idiot.

The problem is that this is how the US GOVT views technology, and why government systems are hacked by children and mentally disabled brits.
by tremelai October 8, 2008 4:49 PM PDT
It is against State of Alaska state policy to use non-state email systems for state business! The SOA has a perfectly secure and adept Exchange system. Palin, in a vein attempt at avoiding subpoenas, ordered her staff to use public email.
by ktawlks October 8, 2008 7:42 AM PDT
He should have posted the info from a public library or lab, you'd think if he was smart enough to research a bit of her background to answer questions he would know you never do anything incriminating from you're own computer, especially something as easy as this.
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by sanenazok October 8, 2008 8:39 AM PDT
Hah, he also would have started bragging his @ss off as soon as he did it and so he would be caught anyways.
by samgmcf October 8, 2008 7:44 AM PDT
The privacy of e-mail communciations are protected by law, as they should be. If David Kernell is found guilty, he should spend real time in jail, pay a substantial fine, and be barred from using the internet, rearrested if he does. This is a serious matter, not a trivial one, as the first two comments appear to suggest. The ease of hacking into an acocunt does not make it excusable, any more that the ease of stealing personal mail out of someone's mailbox makes doing so excusable.
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by thelemurking October 8, 2008 8:10 AM PDT
Are you serious? I mean honestly, taking a peek at someone's Yahoo email and you want to fine the ever living hell out of them and then throw them into prison?

We throw drug dealers out on the streets after a weekend in jail, release repeat sex offenders and drunk drivers back out on the streets with no supervision, yet you want to lock up a college student for reading someone else's yahoo email?

Now would you honestly have a problem if he read someone else's email or is it because it's Palin? Good old Hockey Mom should have a little more common sense when it comes to her privacy... I mean if she somehow manages to be our VP, I hope she doesn't make all her info that easy to obtain. We will end up with a whole slew of illegal Mexicans using her social, taking out credit cards in her name and all that other stuff that goes with identity fraud.

Leave prison for the REAL criminals! Reading yahoo email is no where near worthy of being tossed in the slammer with murders, rapists, child molesters, gang members etc.
by lthornto October 8, 2008 8:28 AM PDT
It may be illegal to access someone's private email, but at the same time it is illegal for her to hide government communications in her personal email account.
Any correspondence she makes as the Governor is subject to the freedom of information act.
by ChuckGlisson October 8, 2008 8:35 AM PDT
Save me your phony self serving REPUBLICAN GARBAGE, John McSHAME as a CONGRESSMAN, gets involved in a scandal which ends up costing the taxpayers BILLIONS, and RUINS the life savings of THOUSANDS of RETIRED Americans, and he didn't spend ANY time in jail.
Sara FAILin used her authority AS GOVERNOR to run PERSONNAL VENDETTAS, even going as far as firing a government official because HE REFUSED to cooperate with her in BREAKING THE LAW. Then on top of it, SHE RFUSES TO COOPERATE WITH THE INVESTIGATION.
And we are susposed to buy YOUR OUTRAGE at what some 20 year old kid did AS A PRANK to a corrupt power drunk governor.
This would be fair, why don't they offer this kid the same deal Sara Palins son got, remember? Sara Palins son avoided JAIL TIME for the CRIMES HE COMMITED by making a deal with the judge to join the Military!
by umbrae October 8, 2008 10:07 AM PDT
E-mail privacy is not protected. Google and Yahoo read your mail every time so they can target advertising to you. So "communication" privacy laws may expand to email, but it has never been tested. Also, our govt has not respected ANY privacy laws for individuals, so it pretty unreasonable for them to expect the same from the same people they spied on.
by johnsknave October 8, 2008 1:23 PM PDT
I also agree with the point umbrae made regarding Government snooping on the citizenry. Government should serve the people. If those who work for the government do not obey the laws then how can they expect that citizens will.
by rdidit October 8, 2008 7:47 AM PDT
Just goes to show you how low a Democrat will stoop. I hope the Judge gives this kid, (and I say kid, because he is certainly not worthy of being called a man, but he will be when he leaves prison) the maximum allowed by law as a reminder to anyone else that invades the privacy of another, the consequences of their actions. There should be NO leniency shown because his father is an elected State Representative. His father should be ashamed to have a child that would do something this egregious that would damage his reputation as an elected official, and make a full public apology to Governor Palin, the citizens of the United States, and particularly to the citizens of the State of Tennessee, whom he serves. Otherwise, he has NO integrity. This kid has few, if any brains, and has cast a dark shadow on his father, his family, and the Democratic Party.
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by gyoza October 8, 2008 8:04 AM PDT
Foxnews has brain washed you well.

Who says hes a democrat?

Also its her fault entirely.
by Lethality October 8, 2008 8:13 AM PDT
Funny the straws you republicans will grasp at this point.
by Lerianis October 8, 2008 9:43 AM PDT
Oh man..... I have not read a post anywhere near this hilarious and braindead in a long time, rdidit. The fact is that public figures should have NO privacy, at least when it comes to their jobs. Frankly, Palin should be in prison for even USING a public e-mail address other than the one given to her by the state when she became governor.

The only person who should be put in prison for a long time is Sarah Palin AND George W. Bush Jr. for his finagling with deleting government e-mails.
by Grumpypaul October 8, 2008 10:53 AM PDT
Want to discuss stooping to new low? Do I need to remind you of Tricky Dick? (Oh yeah, he was pardoned by one of your own!) The first Bush's Iran Contra connections? This Bush's disregard for the constitution? The kid was an idiot for hacking and should be punished accordingly, but to make this a partisan issue IS purely a Republican move. You guys actually impeached Clinton over a BJ using the excuse "HE LIED" but whenever a REAL issue about lying comes up, you dismiss it with a feeble attempt to relate some far flung action by a Democrat.
by andywoho003 October 8, 2008 11:59 AM PDT
Yeah, parents ought to teach their kids better...like, say, using protection when they have sex.
by chasbmy October 8, 2008 7:55 AM PDT
David Kernell, a University of Tennessee student and son of Democratic Tennessee state representative Mike Kernel...hmmm...interesting. Who in the world would ever even HINT at a conspiracy on this one?
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by Republicans_Are_Evil October 8, 2008 7:55 AM PDT
Sarah Palin deserved it. She's an idiot for not securing her YAHOO email. What kind of politician would not take the necessary precautions in order to secure his/her email?
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by lewaldo October 8, 2008 8:42 AM PDT
The user name may reveal something about this poster, additionally anyone who would call someone an idiot is ... well I think you get the point.
by Gratzion October 8, 2008 1:42 PM PDT
she's an idiot, period
by Republicans_Are_Evil October 8, 2008 7:57 AM PDT
And 5 years is utterly ridiculous as a punishment.

The judicial system is a joke. Nothing tops the Executive Branch though.
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by Lerianis October 8, 2008 9:45 AM PDT
No, it isn't a joke. The fact is that the judicial system is only following the sentencing guidelines given to them by the lawmakers (Congress, state Congresses, etc.). It's time to start blaming all these STUPID SENTENCE on the lawmakers, most of whom are pushing for these harsh and unconstitional sentences are..... REPUKIANS!

Get rid of the Repulicans, and we might FINALLY make drugs legal and regulated, stop interfering in the sexual choices of adults and children, and finally move to a world where we realize that "Privacy? No such thing if you ALIVE! Unless you are in your home!"
by compudoc318 October 8, 2008 4:14 PM PDT
5 years is not a joke, lock the little hacker up!!
by October 9, 2008 1:22 PM PDT
Yeah, the justice system is so bad. 5 years isn't long enough. It should have been 20!
by MooseCrap October 8, 2008 8:00 AM PDT
How soon we forget Watergate, where a Rethuglican president was involved in the cover up of Rethuglican party operatives,
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by luxae October 8, 2008 8:00 AM PDT
I think the reason why no one mentions how easy it was to hack her account is because it doesn't matter. This guy hacked her account. This guy willfully violated her privacy. When anyone goes out of their way to violate another person's private e-mail for fun, that's pretty screwed up. And the fact the other person isn't tech savvy makes it WORSE. It's a schoolyard bully going after the weakest kid he can find. And then to post it? Come on. I don't care how much you disagree with a person's politics, brother, that just ain't right.
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by DigitalFrog October 8, 2008 8:23 AM PDT
exactly - If I forget to lock my front door, does that mean that any burglar has the right to walk in and steal? My insurance company may have a few words for me and raise my premiums, but the burglar should be prosecuted regardless.
by Dalkorian October 8, 2008 9:38 AM PDT
by luxae October 8, 2008 8:00 AM PDT
When anyone goes out of their way to violate another person's private e-mail for fun, that's pretty screwed up. And the fact the other person isn't tech savvy makes it WORSE. It's a schoolyard bully going after the weakest kid he can find.

------------------------------------------------------------------------

I can't argue with what you've said here, but I would like to point out the fact that the "weakest kid" is running for the office of Vice President of the United States of America. That should scare people.
by gdmaclew October 8, 2008 12:10 PM PDT
Who is more stupid?
Gov Palin for not securing her Yahoo account or the dumb kid who didn't know enough to cover his tracks?
Throw the book at him.
by framerchain October 8, 2008 8:08 AM PDT
This kids actions casts nothing on anyone but him. His actions speak to a criminal act performed by a 20 year old kid with poor judgement. It is not a reflection on any political party or any parent. At 20 neither a political party or a dad can control what their kid does online. Read the news. Parents are struggling with their 12 year olds online. The fact that it was so easy to allegedly access a celebrity/high profile politician's account doesn't show very good judgement for that individual's awareness of how secure online conversations are. While his was an act on a criminal level, Ms. Palin's judgement was neglectful and shows serious lack of awareness. Hopefully they both are learning something via this experience.
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by raghavny80 October 8, 2008 8:08 AM PDT
Calling what david did as 'hacking' is incorrect. Arresting him and letting palin loose will send wrong signals to washington. If we do that, the dumbos at wash will continue to use personal email for government use with silly security questions. I am sure the chinese would have already 'hacked' into most of the mailboxes of politicians who do not know how to use computers and this will only get worse..
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by misfire99 October 8, 2008 7:21 PM PDT
Gee when Clinton was president the Chinese didn't have to hack anything. Gore set up an email system that bypassed the security of the white house. Gore just sent the Chinese anything they wanted. Of course he had to get a check first from the Chinese colonel. ( There is even a picture of him excepting the check from the colonel )
by bawc October 8, 2008 8:13 AM PDT
Roofie, if he had gotten into my account no one would care and maybe, at worst, his ISP would close his account.
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by Dalkorian October 8, 2008 9:42 AM PDT
No, haven't you been paying attention? If this kid had hacked YOUR Yahoo! email account, the FBI would be knocking on his door the next Saturday night at midnight and he'd be facing 5 years in prison and a quarter million dollar fine.

It's not like anyone is playing favoritism here just because the victim was a pit bull with lipstick running for VP on the corrupt GOP ticket. Honestly. Trust us, we're the government.

;-)
by bishopsring October 8, 2008 8:21 AM PDT
How is it possible for this person to be indicted, when at a McCain Rally someone mentioned terrorist and kill him, referring to Obama. Aren't candidates protected by the secret service including verbal threats. Must be nice to call out anger and aggressive responses and get away with it. I do feel that the hacking was wrong and should be dealt with but seriously, saying terrorist and killing someone is a much stronger eye opening experience.
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by lewaldo October 8, 2008 8:48 AM PDT
Really someone said that at a rally. How do you know? I have not heard any recordings of it, have you? It sounds more like a "dirty trick" by Obama supporters than truth.
by Dalkorian October 8, 2008 9:49 AM PDT
by lewaldo October 8, 2008 8:48 AM PDT
Really someone said that at a rally. How do you know? I have not heard any recordings of it, have you?

----------------------------------------------------------------------

I have (try watching real news and not faux news) and I thought it was a disgusting display of fear mongering, hatred and ignorance. Just like most everything that comes out of the barf hole of a repuke nazi or any other white supremacist rally.

That said, I'm struggling to see what this has to do with the story we're commenting on. If found guilty (IF), this kid should get the same punishment he would get if he "hacked" MY Yahoo! email. It's nice to know that includes midnight raids from the FBI, up to 5 years in prison and a quarter million dollar fine - but somehow I'm not buying it. I'd bet if it was my email he "hacked" (using the term VERY loosely) I'd be lucky to see a judge admonish him for it.
by Kwasiowusu October 8, 2008 10:42 AM PDT
Someone at a McCain rally said Obama is a terrorist so they should jail that guy?
Umm..what about all those loony left crazies at Daily Kos, Air America, Democratic Underground etc etc who have ben calling for the murder of President Bush nonstop for the past 8 years?
Go jail them first, then we can talk.
by nicmart October 8, 2008 8:21 AM PDT
On the other hand, the government can access your account any time it sees fit. Who is more likely to destroy your life, a student or the government?
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by sanenazok October 8, 2008 8:25 AM PDT
I pick elected officials as opposed to some snotty nosed kid fooling around to have some hacker creds.
by jhawk95 October 8, 2008 10:37 AM PDT
This kid, by extension of his father who is an elected official in Tennessee... IS THE GOVERNMENT.

His father should lose his job because of this.
by sanenazok October 8, 2008 8:28 AM PDT
I still don't see how he did any "hacking." All he did was fool the Yahoo! e-mail password reset tool. That's what happens when there's no human involved, the online systems are a joke, just like the people who made a passport for Elvis Presley and the airport check-in machine had no problem with it. Look, he faces a serious fine and prison term but will plead out and get some slap on the wrist. Hey, maybe his dad can send junior off to college in NORWAY.
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by Lerianis October 8, 2008 9:48 AM PDT
You hit the nail on the head. The fact is that this could be done by a 5 year old who is braindead. That is why, with Comcast, they ONLY send your password to your e-mail account. If you forget the password to your e-mail account.... you have to call them or talk with a LIVE PERSON OVER THE INTERNET FROM YOUR HOME COMPUTER'S IP!
Otherwise, they won't help you. I know that from experience!
by MrEthiopian October 8, 2008 8:33 AM PDT
Why must you all blow this situation into a political scheme that somehow was a direct attack on Palin, this is nothing more that a child at play, yes I'm referring to this 20 year old as a child, I will explain later in my retort. IF this was a planned attack (Hack) it would have a plan behind it, taking screen shots of the open account and dumping them on a remote server is not the work of a master hacker, this is the work of a child.

If this was a planned attack the hacker would have hidden his computer behind multiple layers of Proxy, preferably outside the USA, so when the FBI started to investigate the responsible IP it would NOT point at a school l address it would point to an IP in Russia. Next screen shots would not be used, if you did manage to look at the screen shots you would see that some the headers of the emails were government related , I would also guess to say proof of Troopergate could also be found. So why just take screen shots a true hacker or group would take the entire account, put it on their own computers and go thought the content at their leisure find the most telling documents and release. Again when releasing the documents it would be done in a form that protects their identity, and probably to an open newsgroup server, the content would filter up by many people all over the world at the same time.


So for my rational of this 20 year old being a child,in this situation the hack was not done to expose Palin or hurt her politically, the hack was done by a child looking for instant fame from his local peers. This hack could have been far worse for Palin, she should thankful a child got the bast of her and not a reputable hacking group.
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by gdmaclew October 8, 2008 12:13 PM PDT
I hope the "fame" he gets will make his peers cringe and think twice about immitating him.
by c2nah October 8, 2008 12:21 PM PDT
Well said!
by ID_10_T October 8, 2008 8:38 AM PDT
Lessons Learned:
If you use a free email service, don't expect or demand security.
Follow advice freely available to better secure your existing accounts.
Invade someone's privacy, get punished. We have laws in place for a reason.
Young people go to jail all the time for "harmless pranks", like theft, vandalism, rape and murder.
Btw, so do older people. Again, the reason we have laws and should enforce them.
Understand that ANYTHING you post or send on or over the internet is not 100% secure from a privacy standpoint.
Whether this has anything to do with democrats or republicans is absurd. He willfully (hacked) invaded someone's privacy and then (maliciously) posted what he found in a public forum. This is against the law, regardless of whether you are a public figure or private citizen.
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by MrEthiopian October 8, 2008 8:49 AM PDT
I imagine after reviewing your statement ?Young people go to jail all the time for "harmless pranks", like theft, vandalism, rape and murder.? that Rape and Murder are not harmless pranks.
Could you please tell me what law he broke? looking for the law not a generalization of what you think.
by jennessent October 8, 2008 8:45 AM PDT
I agree that the kid shouldn't break in to personal email accounts, but it is pretty clear that Sarah Palin used her personal account for government business (see http://www.juneauempire.com/stories/091608/sta_333013278.shtml). I believe that government correspondence should be open to the public. The kid broke the law, but if he had not then Palin would have succeeded in keeping her official correspondence hidden.
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by Lerianis October 8, 2008 9:49 AM PDT
True. The ends justify the means in this case, and this is EXACTLY why this kid said he did this: he suspected that Palin was using her private IP address for GOVERNMENT BUSINESS, which is illegal and punishable by..... oh, 10 years in prison?
We should be going after PALIN, not this young man who was doing a courageous thing, even though he might end up in jail. Kinda analogous to the people who sat on the buses down south and refused to move during the protests 50 years ago!
by Dalkorian October 8, 2008 9:54 AM PDT
No, you're warping the issue. The law was not made to apply to the GOP, only to it's enemies.
by gdmaclew October 8, 2008 12:28 PM PDT
Oh Please!
Analogous to the people in the 60's who risked their very lives to secure basic civil rights?
You're not serious!!!!!!!!
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