Palin e-mail hack details emerge

The hacked Yahoo account was one of two Ms Palin owned

Details of how an e-mail account of US Republican vice-presidential candidate Sarah Palin was hacked have emerged.

Following the hack, screenshots of Mrs Palin’s messages, inbox, pictures and address book were posted to the Wikileaks whistle-blowing site.

It is thought the attackers exploited the password resetting system of Yahoo’s e-mail service.

Details about Mrs Palin’s life pulled from public sources reportedly helped defeat security questions.

Formal investigation

Information from Wikipedia and other online databases helped to establish Mrs Palin’s date of birth, zip code and other personal information.

Armed with this, the attackers convinced the Yahoo password re-setting system they warranted access and allowed them to re-set the password and then get at the account.

In an official statement Yahoo said: “Yahoo treats issues of security and privacy very seriously.”

It added: “To protect the privacy of our users, we are not able to comment on the details of a specific user account.”

“Generally, if Yahoo! receives reports that an account has been compromised, we investigate for suspicious activity and take appropriate action,” the company said.

Mrs Palin is being investigated for her conduct as governor of Alaska

The attackers broke into Mrs Palin’s gov.palin@yahoo.com e-mail account. This account and another, gov.sarah@yahoo.com, owned by Mrs Palin have now been deleted.

The FBI and the US Secret Service have now begun a formal investigation into the attack and who may have been behind it.

The hackers used the CTunnel proxy service which routes web browsing through an intermediary to obscure where the attackers were based.

However, the screenshots for the attack reveal the original web address used by the proxy which may help investigators track down the miscreants.

It has been reported that records from the CTunnel proxy service are being sought by the FBI.

The attack on the e-mail account comes as questions are being asked about whether Mrs Palin used her personal e-mail accounts to carry out state business.

US law states that all e-mails relating to the official business of government must be archived and not destroyed. However, it does allow for personal e-mails to be deleted.

Mrs Palin is being investigated in Alaska for alleged abuse of power while governor of the state.

VP contender Sarah Palin hacked

The internet activist group ‘anonymous’, famed for its exposure of unethical behavior by the Scientology cult, has now gone after the Alaskan govenor and republican Vice-Presidential candidate Sarah Palin.

At around midnight last night some members affiliated with the group gained access to governor Palin’s email account “gov.palin@yahoo.com” and handed over the contents to the government sunshine site Wikileaks.org.

One of the family photos from the account

Governor Palin has come under media criticism in the past week for using private email accounts to avoid Alaskan freedom of information laws. The contents of the mailbox show this to be true and also hold clues of at least one other Yahoo based mail account held by Palin, “gov.sarah@yahoo.com“.

The zip archive made available by Wikileaks contains screen shots of Palin’s inbox, two example emails, address book and a couple of family photos. The list of correspondence, together with the account name tends to re-enforce the earlier criticism of Palin’s email use.

The list of emails include an exchange with Alaskan Lieutenant Governor Sean Parnell about his campaign for Congress. Another screenshot shows Palin’s inbox and 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.”

According to Kim Zetter of Wired Magazine, McCorkell confirmed that she did send the e-mail to Palin.

Subsequently tests by Wikileaks reveal that both Palin’s “gov.palin@yahoo.com” and her unrelated “gov.sarah@yahoo.com” account have now been deleted, almost certainly by Palin herself.

According to the Guardian, who has looked at the Wikileaks data, among the emails in Palin’s account were several from addresses belonging to her aides, including a draft letter to California governor Arnold Schwarzenegger, a discussion of nominations to the state court of appeals, and several bearing “DPS”, the acronym for the Alaska Department of Public Safety.

DPS supervises the Alaska state troopers. Could the e-mails in question be relevant to the brewing ethics storm over Palin’s push to sack her former brother-in-law from the force?

The contact list included also holds accounts for other official representative’s private email accounts, including those of Alaska’s Kris Perry and Sharon Leighow.

Screenshots and other details follow:

The inbox showing the password change confirmation on the top

An excerpt from a mail between Parin and Alaska’s Sean Parnell

Mail from Amy McCorkell, a Palin supporter, to Sarah Palin

A larger excerpt from the mailbox index

Mail from anonymous to Ive Frye, Palin’s assistant, to make her aware of the password change

\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\
CONTACT LIST
\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\

Beth Leschper (Beth Leschper SOA) [Edit]
beth.leschper@alaska.gov
Blanche Kallstrom (Blanche) [Edit]
mbkrdk@starband.net
Bristol Palin (Bristol) [Edit]
bristol_palin@hotmail.com
Chuck Heath (Chuck) [Edit]
chckheath@yahoo.com
fek9wnr@yahoo.com (Todd) [Edit]
fek9wnr@yahoo.com
ftb907@yahoo.com (Frank) [Edit]
ftb907@yahoo.com
Heather Bruce (Heather) [Edit]
khbruce@gci.net
ivy.frye@alaska.gov (Ivy SOA) [Edit]
ivy.frye@alaska.gov
ivyfrye@yahoo.com (Ivy Personal) [Edit]
ivyfrye@yahoo.com
Judy Patrick (Judy Patrick) [Edit]
jpphoto@mtaonline.net
kris.perry@alaska.gov (Kris Perry SOA) [Edit]
kris.perry@alaska.gov
krisandclark@yahoo.com (Kris Personal) [Edit]
krisandclark@yahoo.com
paymckhea@yahoo.com (Molly) [Edit]
paymckhea@yahoo.com
Roseanne Hughes (Roseanne Hughes SOA) [Edit]
roseanne.hughes@alaska.gov
Sally Heath (Mom) [Edit]
salheath@mtaonline.net
Sean Parnell (Sean Personal) [Edit]
sparnell@alaska.com
Sharon Leighow (Sharon SOA) [Edit]
sharon.leighow@alaska.gov
Sleighow@aol.com (Sharon Leighow Personal) [Edit]
Sleighow@aol.com
Track Palin (Track) [Edit]
track_44@hotmail.com

Note that the ‘ctunnel.com’ reference in the browser screen shots is to a proxy service used to prevent the activists from being traced.

Wikileaks may release additional emails should they prove to be of political substance.
Account information used by the anonymous ‘hacktivists’:

Sarah Palin account info:
gov.palin@yahoo.com
DOB 2/11/64
ZIP 99687

Todd Palin:
fek9wnr@yahoo.com
DOB: 9/6/64
ZIP 99654

Cut and pasted contact list:

Beth Leschper (Beth Leschper SOA) [Edit]
beth.leschper@alaska.gov
Blanche Kallstrom (Blanche) [Edit]
mbkrdk@starband.net
Bristol Palin (Bristol) [Edit]
bristol_palin@hotmail.com
Chuck Heath (Chuck) [Edit]
chckheath@yahoo.com
fek9wnr@yahoo.com (Todd) [Edit]
fek9wnr@yahoo.com
ftb907@yahoo.com (Frank) [Edit]
ftb907@yahoo.com
Heather Bruce (Heather) [Edit]
khbruce@gci.net
ivy.frye@alaska.gov (Ivy SOA) [Edit]
ivy.frye@alaska.gov
ivyfrye@yahoo.com (Ivy Personal) [Edit]
ivyfrye@yahoo.com
Judy Patrick (Judy Patrick) [Edit]
jpphoto@mtaonline.net
kris.perry@alaska.gov (Kris Perry SOA) [Edit]
kris.perry@alaska.gov
krisandclark@yahoo.com (Kris Personal) [Edit]
krisandclark@yahoo.com
paymckhea@yahoo.com (Molly) [Edit]
paymckhea@yahoo.com
Roseanne Hughes (Roseanne Hughes SOA) [Edit]
roseanne.hughes@alaska.gov
Sally Heath (Mom) [Edit]
salheath@mtaonline.net
Sean Parnell (Sean Personal) [Edit]
sparnell@alaska.com
Sharon Leighow (Sharon SOA) [Edit]
sharon.leighow@alaska.gov
Sleighow@aol.com (Sharon Leighow Personal) [Edit]
Sleighow@aol.com
Track Palin (Track) [Edit]
track_44@hotmail.com

Cut and pasted inbox list:

yahoo-account-services-us@cc.yahoo-inc.com
Your Yahoo! password was changed
4:23 AM	5KB
Read		

19079829061@mms.dobson.net
LOOK AT TRIG!!!!!
12:36 AM	52KB
Read		

Amy McCorkell
HI SARAH
Sun, 9/14/08	4KB
Read		

You replied to this message
Ivy Frye
Delivered: Re:
	Sat, 9/13/08	3KB
Read		

Ivy Frye
Delivered: Re:
Sat, 9/13/08	3KB
Read		

Ivy Frye
Delivered: Re:
Sat, 9/13/08	3KB
Read		

Candy Sunderland
Welcome Home!
Wed, 9/10/08	17KB
Read		

Juanita
Re: Hello!
Mon, 9/8/08	3KB
Read		

Fatkidron@aol.com
 Attachments

Fwd: Fw: A story you will never read anywhere else.
Mon, 9/8/08	20KB
Unread		

Remus

Read: Hello!
Mon, 9/8/08	3KB
Read		

JD & Trish

cousin jason
Sat, 9/6/08	6KB
Unread		

Amy McCorkell

Read: Hello!
Fri, 9/5/08	3KB
Unread		

Juanita

Read: Hello!
Fri, 9/5/08	3KB
Read		

Jon Morgan

Attachments

From Cousin Jon
Fri, 9/5/08	76KB
Unread		

ftb907@hslak.com

Delivered: Hello!
Fri, 9/5/08	2KB
Read		

Ivy Frye

Re: Hello!
Fri, 9/5/08	4KB
Unread		

ftb907@hslak.com

Delivered: Hello!
Fri, 9/5/08	2KB
Read		

Juanita Fuller

Return Receipt: Hello!
Fri, 9/5/08	2KB
Unread		

Ivy Frye

Delivered: Hello!
Fri, 9/5/08	3KB
Unread		

Ivy Frye

Delivered: Re:
Wed, 9/3/08	2KB
Unread		

Ivy Frye

Delivered: Re:
Tue, 9/2/08	3KB
Unread		

Ivy Frye

Delivered: Re:
Tue, 9/2/08	3KB
Read		

Sally Heath
Read: Tri-Cities family coming to convention
Mon, 9/1/08	3KB
Unread		

fek9wnr@yahoo.com
Delivered: Fw: Tri-Cities family coming to convention
Sun, 8/31/08	3KB
Read		

Ivy Frye

[ No Subject ]
Sun, 8/31/08	3KB
Read		

Ivy Frye
veep talking pts
Sun, 8/31/08	9KB
Read		

fek9wnr@yahoo.com
 Attachments
Kids 3378.jpg
Sun, 8/31/08	25KB
Read		

fek9wnr@yahoo.com
 Attachments
Kids 3378.jpg
Sun, 8/31/08	25KB
Read		

Greg and Brandi Jones
Congrats from your cousins
Sat, 8/30/08	4KB
Read		

katie
MY INPUT FOR SARAH IN THE TRI CITY HERALD.....YEA DOGGIES
Sat, 8/30/08	9KB
Read		

Sally Heath
Re: WhooHoo
Sat, 8/30/08	3KB
Unread		

Sally Heath
Read: WhooHoo
Sat, 8/30/08	3KB
Read		

Meghan Stapleton
 Attachments
FW: Motor Fuel Tax Suspension
	Sat, 8/30/08	1169KB
Read		

Ivy Frye
[ No Subject ]
	Sat, 8/30/08	3KB
Read		

Ivy Frye
[ No Subject ]
	Sat, 8/30/08	3KB
Read		

finch@ncidata.com
Read: WhooHoo
	Fri, 8/29/08	3KB
Unread		

Ivy Frye
Delivered: Re:
	Fri, 8/29/08	3KB
Read		

gov.sarah@yahoo.com
Re: From JP
	Fri, 8/29/08	3KB
Read		

Judy Patrick
JP cell 223-4704
	Fri, 8/29/08	2KB
Read		

Judy Patrick
From JP
	Fri, 8/29/08	2KB
Read		

Goode, Kelly C (GOV)
Re: What a day!
	Fri, 8/29/08	5KB
Read		

Goode, Kelly C (GOV)
What a day!
	Fri, 8/29/08	5KB
Unread		

Ivy Frye
Delivered: Re:
	Fri, 8/29/08	3KB
Unread		

Ivy Frye
Delivered: Re:
	Fri, 8/29/08	3KB
Unread		

Ivy Frye
Delivered: Re:
Fri, 8/29/08	3KB
Read		

Ruaro, Randall P (GOV)
Draft letter to Governor Schwarzenegger / Container Tax
Thu, 8/28/08	12KB
Read		

frank bailey
link
Wed, 8/27/08	3KB
Unread		

Ivy Frye
Delivered: Re:
Wed, 8/27/08	3KB
Unread		

Ivy Frye
Delivered: Re:
Wed, 8/27/08	3KB
Read		

Nizich, Michael A (GOV)

FW: Thanks
Mon, 8/25/08	7KB
Read		

Ivy Frye

Delivered: Re: change
Mon, 8/25/08	3KB
Unread		

sp@hslak.com

Delivered: Re: change
Mon, 8/25/08	2KB
Unread		

Ivy Frye
Delivered: Re: change
Mon, 8/25/08	3KB
Read		

Ivy Frye
Delivered: Re:
Sat, 8/23/08	3KB
Unread	

Ivy Frye
Delivered: Re:
Sat, 8/23/08	3KB
Unread		

Ivy Frye
Delivered: Re:
Sat, 8/23/08	3KB
Read		

McBride, Rhonda (GOV)
Rural Wireless Service
Sat, 8/23/08	32KB
Read		

Nizich, Michael A (GOV)
RE: Using Royalty Oil to Lower the Cost of Fuel for Alaskans
Fri, 8/22/08	42KB
Read		

Ruaro, Randall P (GOV)
RE: Please approve
Fri, 8/22/08	11KB
Read		

Ruaro, Randall P (GOV)
Court of Appeals / Executive Director Parole Board / Boards and Commissions
Thu, 8/21/08	10KB
Unread		

Ivy Frye
Delivered: Re: Merge to left
Thu, 8/21/08	3KB
Read		

Ruaro, Randall P (GOV)
FW: DPS Employee Draft
Wed, 8/20/08	15KB
Read		

McAllister, William D (GOV)
Re: DPS Personnel and Budget Issues
Wed, 8/20/08	12KB
Read		

Ruaro, Randall P (GOV)
FW: DPS Personnel and Budget Issues
Tue, 8/19/08	11KB
Read		

Ruaro, Randall P (GOV)
Court of Appeals Nominations
Sat, 8/16/08	11KB
Read		

Nizich, Michael A (GOV)
another records request
Fri, 8/15/08	5KB
Read		

frank bailey
 Attachments
Letter
Thu, 8/14/08	293KB
Read		

McBride, Rhonda (GOV)
Tara Jollie's B-Day
Tue, 8/12/08	8KB
Read		

Mason, Janice L (GOV)
RE: Scheduling - Week of 08.10.08
Tue, 8/12/08	25KB
Read		

Mason, Janice L (GOV)
RE: Scheduling - Week of 08.10.08
Tue, 8/12/08	22KB
Read		

Mason, Janice L (GOV)
RE: Scheduling - Week of 08.10.08
Tue, 8/12/08	18KB
Read		

Nizich, Michael A (GOV)
 Attachments
FW: Capitalizing on coal reserves, Crow Tribe strikes deal for $7B
Tue, 8/12/08	10KB
Read		

Mason, Janice L (GOV)
RE: Scheduling - Week of 08.10.08 - CG Dinner
Mon, 8/11/08	29KB
Read		

Mason, Janice L (GOV)
RE: Scheduling - Week of 08.10.08
Sun, 8/10/08	28KB
Read		

Mason, Janice L (GOV)
Scheduling - Week of 08.10.08
Sun, 8/10/08	24KB
Read		

Ruaro, Randall P (GOV)
Status report
Fri, 8/8/08	6KB
Read		

Nizich, Michael A (GOV)
FW: Special session press release
Fri, 8/8/08	29KB
Read		

Colberg, Talis J (LAW)
Followup.
Fri, 8/8/08	4KB
Unread		

fek9wnr@yahoo.com
Delivered: $$$
Thu, 8/7/08	3KB
Read		

Nizich, Michael A (GOV)
FW: CONFIDENTIAL Ethics Matter
Thu, 8/7/08	5KB
Read		

Nizich, Michael A (GOV)
 Attachments
FW: John Harris's response to Lyda Green
Thu, 8/7/08	68KB
Read		

Nizich, Michael A (GOV)
RE: Request for Information and Documents
Thu, 8/7/08	10KB
Read	

Nizich, Michael A (GOV)
FW: CONFIDENTIAL Ethics Matter
Thu, 8/7/08	3KB
Read		

Nizich, Michael A (GOV)
 Attachments
FW: Request for Information and Documents
Thu, 8/7/08	525KB
Read		

Nizich, Michael A (GOV)
 Attachments
FW: Memorandum of Law
Thu, 8/7/08	669KB
Read		

Nizich, Michael A (GOV)
 Attachments
FW: Informal Meeting with Gov. Palin Next Week
Thu, 8/7/08	268KB
Read		

Ruaro, Randall P (GOV)
 Attachments
FW: PR 08-2598 Summer 2009 Schedule Released
Wed, 8/6/08	770KB
Read		

Rutherford, Marty K (DNR)
Re: AO
Wed, 8/6/08	4KB
Read		

Ruaro, Randall P (GOV)
Update
Wed, 8/6/08	5KB
Read		

Sean Parnell
RE: Meet and Greet
Tue, 8/5/08	20KB
Read		

gov.sarah@yahoo.com
Fw: Meet and Greet
Tue, 8/5/08	20KB
Unread		

ftb907@hslak.com
Delivered: Re: weekend statement
Tue, 8/5/08	2KB
Unread		

ftb907@hslak.com
Delivered: Re: weekend statement
Tue, 8/5/08	2KB
Read		

McBride, Rhonda (GOV)
Walter Soboleff
Tue, 8/5/08	10KB
Unread		

fek9wnr@yahoo.com
Delivered: Fw: Willow
Tue, 8/5/08	3KB
Read		

katie
Re: HEY
Mon, 8/4/08	3KB
Read		

Palin, J.D.
RE: Willow
Mon, 8/4/08	3KB
Read		

Karl Clauson
 Attachments
weekend statement
Mon, 8/4/08	52KB
Read		

fek9wnr@yahoo.com
Delivered: Re: Staff at the House on Saturday Morning
Sat, 8/2/08	3KB
Read		

Nizich, Michael A (GOV)
FW: info from today

EU scrutinises Yahoo-Google deal

The deal will see Google’s adverts alongside Yahoo’s search results

The European Union has announced that it has been investigating the terms of Google’s proposed deal to partner with Yahoo for advertising.

The deal would see Google’s advertising programs built into Yahoo’s search engine in the US and Canada.

However, the EU Competition Commission argues that there are anti-trust implications because the two companies do business in Europe.

The EU’s present inquiry could escalate to a formal investigation.

The announcement follows on the heels of news of a similar anti-trust investigation by the US Department of Justice.

If it goes ahead, the partnership would control more than 80% of the online advertising market.

EU antitrust regulations have traditionally proven more strict than American ones, so the investigation could prove to be a significant stumbling block for the deal.

The World Association of Newspapers, which represents some 18,000 titles worldwide, joined the fray in opposing the deal on Monday.

“The reality is that a large portion of the traffic to most online newspapers’ websites today comes through paid search or natural results on search engines,” the group said in a statement.

“For this reason, competition among search engines is absolutely vital for newspapers – to ensure that no search engine can set monopoly prices for paid search ads, and to prevent any search engine from influencing users’ surfing habits by manipulating unpaid search results.”

Each advert will generate revenue for Google. However, there is considerable speculation that another motivation is to provide Yahoo with an alternative to Microsoft’s bid for a hostile takeover.

Both Yahoo and Google say that they are cooperating with investigators on both sides of the Atlantic, but argue that they will go ahead with the deal in October.

Yahoo board wins investor vote

Yahoo shareholders have voted to re-elect the firm’s board after it defended its handling of negotiations with Microsoft over a possible deal.

Chief executive Jerry Yang won the backing of 85% of investors at Yahoo’s annual meeting in California.

Some investors had criticised the firm’s failure to agree a deal with Microsoft, which had offered to buy the internet firm for $47.5bn (£24.1bn).

During the meeting, one called on chairman Roy Bostock to resign.

Shareholder Eric Jackson of Ironfire Capital – one of 150 investors at the meeting – said Mr Bostock “should do the honourable thing and step down from the board”.

He accused the Yahoo boss of overplaying his hand with Microsoft.