The obligatory “Palin’s e-mail account hacked” post; Update: McCain camp responds
posted at 4:21 pm on September 17, 2008 by Allahpundit
Share on Facebook | printer-friendly
Not a hoax, apparently, but also not obviously the work of political partisans. Sounds like trolls out for a thrill.
Another screenshot shows Palin’s inbox and a third shows the text of an e-mail from Amy McCorkell, whom Palin appointed to the Governor’s Advisory Board on Alcoholism and Drug Abuse in 2007.
The e-mail, a message of support to Palin, tells her not to let negative press get to her and asks Palin to pray for McCorkell, who writes that “I need strength to 1. keep employment, 2. not have to choose.”
The Republican Party hasn’t responded to a call for comment, but McCorkell, reached at her office, confirmed that she did send the e-mail to Palin.
I’m refraining from looking at the screencaps on the assumption that (a) if there’s anything foul in there it’ll be all over the wires soon anyway, and (b) if there isn’t then there’s no need to pry. Politico expects the political fallout, such as it is, will only help her, but see the comments at Time for the developing counterspin: How can we trust our national security to a woman who can’t come up with a password that zzzzzzzzz.
Update: I don’t know if Google, AOL, etc., track the number of times each day their users change their passwords, but if so we’re probably in store for a new record.
Update: Outrage from Maverick’s campaign manager, Rick Davis:
“This is a shocking invasion of the Governor’s privacy and a violation of law. The matter has been turned over to the appropriate authorities and we hope that anyone in possession of these emails will destroy them. We will have no further comment.”
Update (Ed): The group taking responsibility certainly has a history of partisan attacks, as Caleb Howe notes in his post. He has a picture and a video that he took of their protest at the Republican convention, although Howe also wonders exactly why they were there:
As an aside, this is why I tend to stay away from web-based e-mail.
You must be logged in to post a comment.
Blowback
Note from Hot Air management: This section is for comments from Hot Air's community of registered readers. Please don't assume that Hot Air management agrees with or otherwise endorses any particular comment just because we let it stand. A reminder: Anyone who fails to comply with our terms of use may lose their posting privilege.
Trackbacks/Pings
Trackback URL
Comments
Comment pages: 1 2 3 Next »
I think Ben Smith’s take is right – millions of people are changing their passwords at this very moment.
Slublog on September 17, 2008 at 4:24 PM
Over government secrets are put in trash cans or left in stolen cars. At least Palin’s are safe with Yahoo.
Ha cha cha!
lorien1973 on September 17, 2008 at 4:24 PM
Well Allah, keyboard viruses aren’t that hard to get and check every stroke.
Password or not, you can have a great one and still “get hacked”.
upinak on September 17, 2008 at 4:24 PM
Leave it to 4chan.
This is really unfortunate.
carbon_footprint on September 17, 2008 at 4:25 PM
I’m just waiting for the “it’s a cover up! They destroyed evidence!” meme that will follow her for the remainder of her political career.
pt on September 17, 2008 at 4:26 PM
maybe they guessed ‘ihuntmoose’ or ‘toddistehgr8ist’.
or ‘iuseatanningbedbecausetheresnosunhereforhalftheyear’
wise_man on September 17, 2008 at 4:26 PM
In one of the emails she talks about the talk radio “conservative” who wrote that oped about tasergate today that you linked to in the links section…
ninjapirate on September 17, 2008 at 4:26 PM
I think we should all change their password and send our IP notices that it’s because we can’t trust them to protect us from HACKERS
originalpechanga on September 17, 2008 at 4:27 PM
Reading the Gawker post and their creepy, gleeful, unhinged comments… I fear for our country on days like this– not to be overdramatic. But it’s sad what people will do to “decimate” (Chevy Chase’s wish) a decent person and her family.
Pasalubong on September 17, 2008 at 4:27 PM
This is the kind of thing that 4chan does for fun. They are bi-partisan, for the most part, but the hatred of Christians there is high.
carbon_footprint on September 17, 2008 at 4:27 PM
If Palin’s account was really hacked, I hope the hackers are hunted down, caught, and prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.
If this was a hoax I hope the hoaxters are are hunted down, caught, and prosecuted to the fullext extent of the law.
This. Is. Unacceptable.
I agree that regardless of whether this is a genuine hacking or a hoax, it will garner more sympathy and support for Palin. It will be help more than hurt.
But still…..terrible.
t.ferg on September 17, 2008 at 4:28 PM
Her password was:
Thatbridgetonowherewasreallycoolbutcosttoomuchmoney
lorien1973 on September 17, 2008 at 4:28 PM
Dan Fagan is a liberal…
upinak on September 17, 2008 at 4:28 PM
Seriously, 10-1 her password was the name of her kids sorted by age with no spaces. All moms do this.
lorien1973 on September 17, 2008 at 4:28 PM
Doesn’t really matter. They only got 3 harmless screenshots and now the account has tanked because of so many trying to access it.
Could have been worse. There could have some real personal stuff in there that would have spread like wildfire.
lodge on September 17, 2008 at 4:29 PM
My favorite password formula is the middle name of an obscure relative combined with the birth year of a different relative. Always gets the “strong” designation from gmail.
Slublog on September 17, 2008 at 4:29 PM
Hannity just breaking with this on his show.
carbon_footprint on September 17, 2008 at 4:29 PM
Isn’t hacking into someone’s email account an illegal act?
rockhauler on September 17, 2008 at 4:29 PM
“How can we trust our national security to a woman who can’t come up with a password that zzzzzzzzz.”
LOL, Allah! Actually, inquiring minds do need to know. What’s she using, her birthday? How retro, how rube, how Alaska.
MochaLite on September 17, 2008 at 4:29 PM
Ugh… Why. people. don’t. want. to. go into. politics? I’m sure that Bristol enjoyed people calling her cell, and all the Palin kids enjoyed getting ugly spam hate mail from the KosKids.
Illinidiva on September 17, 2008 at 4:30 PM
This is minor compared to what I thought the Obama Youth would do to her and her family. Still more time though.
econavenger on September 17, 2008 at 4:30 PM
yes and Yahoo can pull the IP address. If you can every GET anyone at Yahoo.
upinak on September 17, 2008 at 4:30 PM
No thanks, I’ll pass.
developing counterspin = BS for BO
fogw on September 17, 2008 at 4:30 PM
… or leaked to the NYTimes where they become front page news stories.
thirteen28 on September 17, 2008 at 4:33 PM
This is how they got in…
http://gawker.com/photogallery/palinyahooemail/1003648483
This is the chan thread… anyone have a link?
http://gawker.com/photogallery/palinyahooemail/1003648516
ninjapirate on September 17, 2008 at 4:33 PM
Their side cheats. Always have, always will. It’s who they are. I fear the worst, as Palin has made them rabid. Just wait.
Halley on September 17, 2008 at 4:33 PM
There was nothing in her e-mail, otherwise it would have been out by now.
And the people who did this will be tracked down quite easily. Hope they have a change of underwear when Secret Service shows up on their door, since it IS a federal crime to hack into someone’s e-mail, let alone a candidate for Vice President.
Enoxo on September 17, 2008 at 4:34 PM
They used a proxy to mask their IP…
ninjapirate on September 17, 2008 at 4:34 PM
I was over at Gawker as well reading the unhinged moonbat comments about Gov. Sarah Palin. Gawker is just another hate site like Daily Kos owned by the Militant Gay Stormtrooper Nick Denton. Nick Denton hates anything that is traditional or conseratives and openly mocks them with his jobless Che Guevara losers that posts at his hate site. The Secret Service needs to track down the losers who hacked her account…
ZoneDaiatlas on September 17, 2008 at 4:35 PM
BTW, Team McCain don’t bother getting Outraged! over this…
ninjapirate on September 17, 2008 at 4:35 PM
Yep. Illegally accessing a computer. Problem is finding them, especially since the url in the screenshots indicate that they used a proxy service.
amerpundit on September 17, 2008 at 4:36 PM
Dude, the PENTAGON is hacked once in a while, with their multiple levels of security and a an army of geeks trying to prevent it. It is very easy to break into a private email account, even with out guessing the password.
AlexB on September 17, 2008 at 4:37 PM
I hope the FBI or the Secret Service pays a special visit to Nick Denton of Gawker for posting this on his site…
ZoneDaiatlas on September 17, 2008 at 4:37 PM
Brat on September 17, 2008 at 4:37 PM
NEW POLLS!!!
http://americanresearchgroup.com/
Trend stays for Mac!
joepub on September 17, 2008 at 4:38 PM
lol i liked the pics in it
overall his password was retardedly easy to crack
i recommend that you use something like this to make your passwords:
http://www.thebitmill.com/tools/password.html
Xolom on September 17, 2008 at 4:38 PM
My guess, inside job …
tarpon on September 17, 2008 at 4:40 PM
I think they’ll find the people who did this, proxy IP address or not. All manner of law enforcement will be all over these folks and they’ll end up spilling what happened.
What a bunch of maroons.
Mr. D on September 17, 2008 at 4:40 PM
Major point to make…
I’ve been in the industry a LONNNGGGG time… and the BEST antihacker and Data Forensics people work for????
The Secret Service. They are the ones who hunt down wire fraud, as it is under their province due to the wire fraud being in the same league as Counterfiting.
These hackers just messed up… they’ve gone after someone under the protection of the Secret Service. That brings it under the National Security umbrella, which means they go to FEDERAL Judges…
Not gonna be pretty.
Romeo13 on September 17, 2008 at 4:40 PM
Team McCain, play it cool… don’t drama this out…
ninjapirate on September 17, 2008 at 4:41 PM
Speaking of security, our house mortgage was with a local bank which then sold it to Countrywide. Got a letter from CW yesterday apologizing because an employee had stolen all our private ID information along with many others and had composed lists of them. Countrywide said he MAY have resold the list, but wouldn’t be specific, and offered apologies plus a couple of years free credit monitering which doesn’t begin to cover the potential damage. How’s that for your worst nightmare? Provided by someone who should make confidentiality their top priority.
a capella on September 17, 2008 at 4:41 PM
Wow. This really is serious, then.
*ahem*
YYZ on September 17, 2008 at 4:42 PM
Proxy doesn’t make it impossible to find the hacker. Especially when you have the power of the Secret Service behind it.
Enoxo on September 17, 2008 at 4:43 PM
I hope you are right. They were able to find the guy there who made the threats to blow up stadiums a few years back.
carbon_footprint on September 17, 2008 at 4:43 PM
Nothing to see here, move along.
Smooth Rooster on September 17, 2008 at 4:43 PM
The guy from 4chan.org, I might add.
carbon_footprint on September 17, 2008 at 4:44 PM
Isn’t this the kind of thing Nixon was impeached over? Spying on his opposition during a campaign? So what did Obama know? and When did he know it?
I want Impeachment hearings started tomorrow!
Oh wait they blew the cover up. I guess it’s okay then.
petunia on September 17, 2008 at 4:44 PM
shlomo-42
Because 42 is the answer…
SkinnerVic on September 17, 2008 at 4:44 PM
As in Rush YYZ?
Cool name.
carbon_footprint on September 17, 2008 at 4:44 PM
This is really a very skanky thing to do, but we’re talking Dems. When they’re not out in the dark stealing lawn signs, they are in the basement stealing private information. Republicans always warn not to steal lawn signs or do anything else illegal, but I would say after this something like this, anything goes as far as unleashing the dogs of “change”.
Hening on September 17, 2008 at 4:45 PM
Romeo13 on September 17, 2008 at 4:40 PM
Axelrod is destroying his laptop as we speak.
Bishop on September 17, 2008 at 4:45 PM
The individual who did it claims to have done so by using a password reset and a little research on Palin’s life to find the security questions Yahoo! asked him. He got her birthdate from Wikipedia, and her zip from the post office online catalog. Her third security question was about something personal, the kind of little detail that’s hard for others to guess. Unless, of course, your entire life is scrutinized in the national media for weeks. Didn’t take much research to answer question three and change the password.
From his explanation (no link, as it’s 404′d, but I have screencaps): “I read though the emails… ALL OF THEM… before I posted, and what I concluded was anticlimactic, there was nothing there, nothing incriminating, nothing that would derail her campaign as I had hoped, all I saw was personal stuff, some clerical stuff from when she was governor…. And pictures of her family”
He started posting screencaps and such in response to inquiries, only to freak when he realized that this was actually serious stuff and the FBI would probably be taking an interest in him Real Soon Now.
Well-Armed Lamb on September 17, 2008 at 4:45 PM
I really, really like Sarah Palin.
I really, really hurt for her right now.
I am a Christian. I pray every morning for God to give her strength and wisdom. And to make her Vice President. In no particular order.
May the Lord make his face to shine upon her.
________________
RJGatorEsq. on September 17, 2008 at 4:45 PM
Oh my gosh! I’m so sorry that sounds like a nightmare!
On the lighter side I wonder if that is how the Obama capaign got my email address… I get an email about once a day from them.
petunia on September 17, 2008 at 4:46 PM
McCain now has a way out of the “why don’t you use email” meme.
amerpundit on September 17, 2008 at 4:46 PM
If Obama is elected, I hope he puts together a password security commission that investigates this issue. The American people need to feel safe, and thus probably need the government to create safe, secure passwords for all – - because, as evidenced by the smalltown, bitter, gun and Bible clinger Palin, we can’t do it ourselves.
Rick on September 17, 2008 at 4:47 PM
If this was an inside job by BO’s camp, it would make Watergate look like shoplifting a twinkie.
thirteen28 on September 17, 2008 at 4:47 PM
…well, whadya know? A geek snob.
Back when I was in school (hint: my history textbook was thin, and my math book was printed on vellum), geeks didn’t live long enough to get to be snobs…football players were the dominant predator then…culled the herd, so to speak….
Now, geeks are millionaires, lawyers, doctors, presidential candidates masquerading as agents of change, femal presidential candidates masquerading as women…it’s a jungle out there….
Puritan1648 on September 17, 2008 at 4:47 PM
The Dems now are doing what Nixon’s guys did. Breaking into the other camp illegally. This is a horrendous crime and McCain needs to address this.
They will sink to nothing to get this woman.
Sapwolf on September 17, 2008 at 4:48 PM
(a) Correct. “zzzzzz” indeed.
(b) Since when is the VP entrusted with national security?
LimeyGeek on September 17, 2008 at 4:48 PM
If a Spammers get jail time, let’s hope someone goes after the obama zombie that did this!! How low will they go.
christene on September 17, 2008 at 4:48 PM
There’s no way I’m going back to /b/
I have the internet equivalent of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder from the last time.
Keljeck on September 17, 2008 at 4:49 PM
Sounds like a call to the FBI is in order………
By the way, stupid trolls, this can only add to the sympathy factor for Gov. Palin……..
…………. any woman who has ever felt a set of eyes on her while she stepped out of the shower is now going to vote for her.
Seven Percent Solution on September 17, 2008 at 4:49 PM
Exactly. He’s hating his life right now, because he’s on the Secret Service’s hit list. Hope he doesn’t have plans to fly anytime soon.
Enoxo on September 17, 2008 at 4:49 PM
Romeo13
i hope you are right and that these creeps are frog-marched out of whatever sewer (or parent’s basement) they live in.
But on a grander scale how will we ever get decent people to run for office? This program of distruction DIRECTED BY OBAMA’S CAMPAIGN is just the most recent example of the danger posed by liberals and their all-consuming quest for power at any cost. Fear for America, when Obama and his friends get finished with her we won’t recognize her.
johnsteele on September 17, 2008 at 4:49 PM
LOL Well if he wants a chance at my email. I have over 5 thousand emails (yes I save them) he can read through.
Good Luck!
upinak on September 17, 2008 at 4:49 PM
That reminds me of my daughter-in-law. My son’s wallet was stolen this summer in Barcelona.
They had family prayer and she said my son asked that the thief be forgiven. My daughter-in-law said she prayed that the theif would bump his head on something really hard! And she refused to repent.
petunia on September 17, 2008 at 4:50 PM
This seriously makes me wonder if there’s any hope for the human race.
Sakaki on September 17, 2008 at 4:53 PM
Cheney never published anyone’s emails.
These guys are truly scum, worse than anything they ever accused Bush and Cheney of.
drjohn on September 17, 2008 at 4:53 PM
Reply and tell them this:
If you don’t take me off your list for The One, for everyday that I receive an email from you I will convert a registered voter to McCain/Palin.
SkinnerVic on September 17, 2008 at 4:53 PM
Yahoo only helps ChiComs track down the IPs of political dissidents.
“Click”!…..that was the sound of Obama deleting emails to and from all of his friends he hardly knows.
If Obamabots want to start an IT war, they may just get their wish.
moxie_neanderthal on September 17, 2008 at 4:53 PM
Killing babies is a “privacy” issue but personal correspondence is our business. I hate these people.
D0WNT0WN on September 17, 2008 at 4:55 PM
Upload those screencaps…
ninjapirate on September 17, 2008 at 4:55 PM
Some sage advice:
Another reason why you should NEVER say anything important in an email, NEVER, EVER.
Nothing truly personal should ever be committed to writing.
Oh, and honeymoons and video cameras are a really bad idea.
johnsteele on September 17, 2008 at 4:56 PM
Look at the Illinois number. Obama is only getting 51% there. Don’t know if that is real or just makes the poll look unreliable.
Mark1971 on September 17, 2008 at 4:57 PM
What did Obama know and when did he know it.
jeff_from_mpls on September 17, 2008 at 4:57 PM
Don’t you mean computers, webcams and honeymoons?
upinak on September 17, 2008 at 4:58 PM
Good response – don’t overplay the hand, but definitely take note.
thirteen28 on September 17, 2008 at 4:58 PM
Sorry dude, we’ll lose – badly. These moron’s have more time than the Paultards on their hands. You’ve obviously not seen what they did to Digg with Charles over at LGF. I’m technically competent and I know that’s not a battle to start – evah.
SkinnerVic on September 17, 2008 at 4:58 PM
Team McCain responds:
““This is a shocking invasion of the Governor’s privacy and a violation of law. The matter has been turned over to the appropriate authorities and we hope that anyone in possession of these emails will destroy them. We will have no further comment.””
Good.
amerpundit on September 17, 2008 at 4:58 PM
What happened to charles?
upinak on September 17, 2008 at 4:59 PM
O/T but that crack about national security is HILARIOUS! I was in army intel and it makes me want to punch someone in the face when I see public disclosure of classified information. Watching CNN in the dfac one day on post there was a story about the fbi and all of a sudden up on screen pops a document with SECRET written aross the top. Bob Woodward lst weekend on 60 minutes casually mentioned a top secret/SCI document and referenced it contents on air. Toss in the ny times blatant disregard of national security laws and its a wonder we’re able to do anything.
Anyway, I started using this lastpass.com program to make my pwords tougher and easier to keep track of. So far so good, but I’m not running against democrats I guess.
hump1201 on September 17, 2008 at 5:01 PM
As to the first update: I changed my PayPal password to something with multiple capitals plus a punctuation sign instead of an eight-letter word. It was not Password or password, I can tell you that much – which was possibly the case with Gov’r Palin and many of you.
As to Campaign Manager Davis’ comments… I’d cool it. Most government e-mails are public record – go HERE for a good open gov’t guide for Alaska. Full disclosure: I’m a member of the Washington Coalition for Open Government in good standing…
HotAirJosef on September 17, 2008 at 5:01 PM
You must ALWAYS use https when viewing your google mail (not just when logging in). Google sends a “cookie” in the clear when you use regular http to read your mail. Particularly if you are on a wireless network, that cookie can be “snagged” and used to access your email account.
When viewing your gmail, there is a “settings” link in the upper right corner. Click it. At the bottom of your settings page is an item that says “Browser connection” and there is a selection for “Always use https”. Make sure that is selected. It is NOT selected by default.
Exploit code has been released that allows people to snag your account if they have access to the data flow and you are not using https.
crosspatch on September 17, 2008 at 5:02 PM
Current consensus on 4chan…
Hacking into politicians personal email: EPIC
Finding nothing remotely interesting: FAIL
BohicaTwentyTwo on September 17, 2008 at 5:02 PM
WebGate, InternetGate, YahooGate, I would just once like to see true punisment for these guys.
This is the punishment…add up all the man hours of Gov. officials looking for this person. All the hours from haggling with Yahoo and others. Add up all the hours of prosecuting them, and that is his sentence.
Thousands upon thousands of hours will be spent tracking this guy down, convicting him (chances are it’s a guy). He should get about 20 to 30 years.
Nothing less then 5 years in prison. I am tired of hackers, virus creators, and the rest of the bored out of work idiots that corrupt and honest system.
right2bright on September 17, 2008 at 5:03 PM
wise_man on September 17, 2008 at 4:26 PM
That was so funny I had to copy/paste it to my daughter.
Cindy Munford on September 17, 2008 at 5:04 PM
Can’t wait for Ms. Dowd to weigh in on this. After reading her latest column about her visit to Alaska, I am sure she can be even more condescending and hateful.
If you need to raise your blood pressure, read her latest column. HA had it linked earlier.
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/09/17/opinion/17dowd.html?_r=1&oref=slogin
Seriously, I think that we here in fly over country should succeed from the union, and let the east and west coast elitists fend for themselves. Let’s see how far they get without us “rubes and idiots”.
kam582 on September 17, 2008 at 5:05 PM
lorien1973 on September 17, 2008 at 4:28 PM
SSHhhh!
Cindy Munford on September 17, 2008 at 5:06 PM
http://pastebin.com/f652c44fb
ninjapirate on September 17, 2008 at 5:06 PM
Not much, Charles has gotten much better about the “system”. It should also be noted Allah’s take on it.
I gots me a memory, that works occasionally… :P
SkinnerVic on September 17, 2008 at 5:07 PM
Can’t Gawker be prosecuted for possessing stolen intellectual property or something?
angelat0763 on September 17, 2008 at 5:07 PM
I sure hope the Secret Service is taking care of those thugs…
newton on September 17, 2008 at 5:07 PM
Prolly unreliable.
Illinidiva on September 17, 2008 at 5:09 PM
This should make McCain look like a security genius for not using e-mail.
But boy, these people need to be found and have really bad things done to them. Seriously.
Hendo on September 17, 2008 at 5:09 PM
For those who say hope is lost, and the guys cant be found. I bring you a picture of their downfall:
http://gawker.com/photogallery/palinyahooemail/1003648571?viewSize=thumb800×800
Yep, those guys did NOT use a proxy 100% of the time. And thanks to their crack intelligence of leavign their steam chat up, they know exactly what time.
RiteWingFascist on September 17, 2008 at 5:10 PM
The guy might have gone down a hero if he had found a smoking gun…sadly for him, there was nothing there, and all he’s facing is the secret service. If he thinks his proxy is gonna help him he’s mistaken
lodge on September 17, 2008 at 5:11 PM
As someone who works with secret government data everyday, I can tell you that there are THOUSANDS of data spills everyday. It just gets cleaned up real fast. So all this bullcrap about trusting Sarah Palin with government secrets is just a joke. She’s no more prone to spill data than Sandy Burglar.
Andy in Agoura Hills on September 17, 2008 at 5:11 PM
Comment pages: 1 2 3 Next »