Sarah Palin email hack

Shortly after midnight on September 16, 2008, the private Yahoo! Mail account of Sarah Palin was cracked by a 4chan user. The hacker, known as "Rubico", claimed he had read Palin's personal e-mails because he was looking for something that "would derail her campaign."{{cite news|url=http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2008/sep/19/hacker-wanted-to-derail-palin/|title=Hacker wanted to 'derail' Palin|work=The Washington Times|date=September 19, 2008| author=Rowland, Kara|access-date=September 23, 2008}}

After reading through Palin's emails, Rubico wrote, "There was nothing there, nothing incriminating — all I saw was personal stuff, some clerical stuff from when she was governor." Rubico wrote that he used the Sarah Palin Wikipedia article to find Palin's birth date (one of the standard security questions used by Yahoo!{{cite news|newspaper=New York Post|url=http://www.nypost.com/seven/09192008/news/politics/dem_pols_son_was_hacker_129793.htm|title=Dem Pol's Son Was 'Hacker': I Spied On Palin' Boast Pops Up On 'Net|author=Carl Campanile|date=September 19, 2008|access-date=September 12, 2010}}) in "15 seconds." The hacker posted the account's password on /b/, an image board on 4chan, and screenshots from within the account to WikiLeaks.{{cite news|url=http://theridiculant.metro.co.uk/2008/09/sarah-palins-em.html |title=Sarah Palin's email gets hacked|newspaper=Metro|author=Tom Phillips|date=September 17, 2008|access-date=September 17, 2008}}

A /b/ user then logged in and changed the password, posting a screenshot of his sending an email to a friend of Palin's informing her of the new password on the /b/ thread. This man was criticized heavily by the /b/ community, for being a "white knight". However, he did not blank out the password in the screenshot.{{cite magazine|url=http://www.time.com/time/politics/article/0,8599,1842097,00.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080919092620/http://www.time.com/time/politics/article/0,8599,1842097,00.html |url-status=dead |archive-date=September 19, 2008 |title=Sarah Palin's E-mail Hacked|magazine=TIME|author=M. J. Stephey|date=September 17, 2008|access-date=September 17, 2008}} A multitude of /b/ users then attempted to log in with the new password, and the account was automatically locked out by Yahoo!. The incident was criticized by some /b/ users, one of whom complained that "seriously, /b/. We could have changed history and failed, epically."{{cite news|url=http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/webscout/2008/09/4chans-half-hac.html |title=4Chan's half-hack of Palin's email goes awry|newspaper=The Los Angeles Times|author=David Sarno|date=September 17, 2008|access-date=September 17, 2008|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110514200839/http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/webscout/2008/09/4chans-half-hac.html|archive-date=May 14, 2011}} The hacker admitted he was worried about being caught, writing "Yes I was behind a proxy, only one, if this sh*t ever got to the FBI I was f**ked, I panicked, I still wanted the stuff out there ... so I posted the [information] ... and then promptly deleted everything, and unplugged my internet and just sat there in a comatose state."

The hacker left behind traces of his activity. His IP address was logged at the proxy he used, CTunnel.com, and he also left his email address rubico10@yahoo.com when he posted at 4chan. Furthermore, the attacker revealed the original web address used by the proxy{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/7631225.stm|title=Student suspect in Palin hacking|work=BBC News|date=September 23, 2008|access-date=September 12, 2010}} by leaving this information in the screenshot which according to experts can also help the investigation. 4chan's /b/ board is not archived, and posts are only retained for a short time. However, with the great interest surrounding the posts of Rubico, many, including the magazine Wired, archived the original posts.{{Cite web|date=2010-11-13|title=Palin hacker gets one year|url=http://www.digitaljournal.com/article/300185|access-date=2020-10-23|website=www.digitaljournal.com}} The email address left behind was then connected to David Kernell through various social networking profiles where it was used,{{cite news| newspaper=Los Angeles Times |url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2008-sep-24-et-webscout24-story.html |title=A hit-and-run at digital speed |author=Sarno, David|date=September 24, 2008|access-date=August 7, 2012}} though no official investigation took place at this time.

John McCain's campaign condemned the incident, saying it was a "shocking invasion of the governor's privacy and a violation of law". Barack Obama's spokesman Bill Burton called the hacking "outrageous".

The FBI and Secret Service began investigating the incident and on September 20, it was revealed that they were questioning David Kernell, a 20-year-old economics student at the University of Tennessee and the son of Democratic Tennessee State Representative Mike Kernell from Memphis.{{cite web |url=http://www.thesmokinggun.com/archive/years/2008/1008081palin1.html |title=Palin Hacker Indicted |access-date=October 12, 2008 |work=The Smoking Gun}}{{cite web|url=http://www.newsfactor.com/news/Suspect-Nabbed-in-Palin-E-mail-Hack/story.xhtml?story_id=110003SJWA8K |title=Suspect Nabbed in Palin E-mail Hack|publisher=NewsFactor|author=Steve Bosak |date=September 20, 2008|access-date=September 21, 2008}}{{cite web |url=https://www.theregister.co.uk/2008/10/08/palin_email_hijack_indictment/ |title=Son of state lawmaker charged with Palin email hack |access-date=October 10, 2008 |last=Goodin |first=Dan |date=October 8, 2008 |work=The Register}}{{cite web |url=http://www.knoxnews.com/news/2008/oct/09/jury-indicts-ut-student-accused-hacking-palins-e-m/ |title=Jury indicts UT student accused of hacking Palin's e-mail |access-date=October 10, 2008 |last=Lakin |first=Matt |date=October 9, 2008 |work=Knoxville News Sentinel}} The handle used by the hacker when making his post at 4chan pointed to him, although this evidence was inconclusive because of the frequent pranks pulled at that board. The hacker's proxy service provided its logs, which pointed to Kernell's residence.{{cite web | title = Grand jury investigates Palin e-mail hack; no charges yet | website = Ars Technica | date = September 24, 2008 | url = https://arstechnica.com/news.ars/post/20080924-grand-jury-investigates-palin-e-mail-hacker-no-charges-yet.html }}

FBI agents served a federal search warrant at David Kernell's apartment in Knoxville.{{cite web |url=http://www.computerworld.com/s/article/9115238/Report_FBI_searches_Tenn._student_s_apartment_in_Palin_hacking_case |title=Report: FBI serves search warrant against UT student in Palin case |access-date=August 7, 2012 |last=Keizer |first=Gregg |date=September 22, 2008 |work=Computerworld via WBIR.com}} Agents spent two hours taking pictures of everything inside his apartment. Kernell's three roommates were also subpoenaed and expected to testify the following week in Chattanooga.{{cite web |url=http://www.efluxmedia.com/news_FBI_Search_The_Apartment_Of_Palin_Hack_Primary_Suspect_24837.html |title=FBI Search The Apartment Of Palin Hack Primary Suspect |access-date=October 10, 2008 |last=Chisamera |first=Dee |date=September 22, 2008 |work=eFluxMedia |archive-date=October 8, 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081008210006/http://www.efluxmedia.com/news_FBI_Search_The_Apartment_Of_Palin_Hack_Primary_Suspect_24837.html |url-status=dead }} The obstruction of justice charge stems from an allegation by the FBI that Kernell attempted to erase evidence of the crime from his hard drive.{{cite news|url=http://www.knoxnews.com/news/2010/apr/23/fbi-kernell-tried-to-destroy-proof-of-e-mail/|title=FBI agent says Kernell tried to destroy proof of Palin e-mail breach|date=April 23, 2010|last=Satterfield

|first=Jamie|publisher=KnoxNews.com|access-date=April 23, 2010}} Kernell's father told Wired that he was aware that his son was a suspect, but he did not ask him anything about it over concerns that he may have to testify in court.{{cite web |url=http://blogs.pcworld.com/staffblog/archives/007785.html |title=Palin Update: Tenn. Student Implicated in Hack |access-date=October 11, 2008 |last=Paul |first=Ian |date=September 22, 2008 |work=Today @ PC World |archive-date=October 26, 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081026094400/http://blogs.pcworld.com/staffblog/archives/007785.html |url-status=dead }}

A second federal grand jury in Knoxville returned an indictment of Kernell on October 7, 2008.{{cite press release |title=David C. Kernell Indicted for Alleged Hack of Governor Sarah Palin's E-mail Account |publisher=United States Department of Justice |date=October 8, 2008 |url=http://knoxville.fbi.gov/dojpressrel/2008/kxhacking100808.htm}} He was charged with violating {{USCSub|18|1030|a|2|C}} and {{USCSec|18|2701}}, or unlawful access to stored communications and intentionally accessing a computer without authorization across state lines, respectively.{{cite web | publisher=United States District Court, Eastern District of Tennessee at Knoxville | title = Indictment: United States of America v. David Kernell a/k/a "rubico," defendant | url = http://www.usdoj.gov/usao/tne/pr/2008/October/Kernell%20Indictment.pdf | date = October 7, 2008 |archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20091202124440/http://www.justice.gov/usao/tne/pr/2008/October/Kernell%20Indictment.pdf |archive-date = December 2, 2009 }} Kernell turned himself in the next day.{{cite magazine|magazine=Wired|date=October 8, 2017|author=Kim Zetter|title=Tennessee Student Indicted for Hacking Palin E-mail — Updated|url=https://www.wired.com/2008/10/tennessee-stude/}} Kernell pleaded not guilty.{{cite news |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/7660811.stm |title=Man denies hacking Palin e-mail |access-date=October 12, 2008 |date=October 9, 2008 |work=BBC News}} The court released Kernell on his own recognizance.{{cite news |first=Tim |last=Reid |author2=Tom Baldwin |title=John McCain campaign renews attack on 'terrorist's friend' Barack Obama |url=http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/us_and_americas/us_elections/article4909813.ece|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110511034827/http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/us_and_americas/us_elections/article4909813.ece|url-status=dead|archive-date=May 11, 2011|agency=Associated Press |work=The Times |location=London |date=October 9, 2008 |access-date=October 12, 2008}} Kernell's attorney claimed that using "an e-mail address and a birth date does not constitute identity theft"; however, the court rejected that argument saying "once Governor Palin chose the Yahoo! ID gov.palin@yahoo.com, that became her unique address, and no one else could choose it."{{Citation needed|date=October 2019}}

In October 2008, Kernell was brought into court in handcuffs and ankle shackles to plead not guilty to the hacking and was released on bond. The case went to trial eighteen months later, on April 20, 2010. On April 23, Sarah Palin testified for 44 minutes. Her daughter, Bristol, testified as well. Following the conclusion of testimony, Sarah said, "I think there need to be consequences for bad behavior."[https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/04/23/AR2010042302477.html Accounts differ as Sarah Palin e-mail hacking case is sent to court in Knoxville], Washington Post, April 24, 2010. Retrieved February 10, 2018.

On April 30, 2010, David Kernell was found guilty on two of four counts: the felony of anticipatory obstruction of justice by destruction of records and found for the lower misdemeanor option of unauthorized access to a computer. The jury acquitted him of the charge of wire fraud. It was deadlocked on identity theft charge, so the judge declared a mistrial on that charge. In response, Palin issued a press release comparing the case to Watergate.{{cite news| url=https://www.cbsnews.com/news/sarah-palin-compares-hacking-case-to-watergate/ |title=Sarah Palin Compares Hacking Case to Watergate|date=April 30, 2010|work=CBS News|access-date = August 7, 2012}}

Sarah Palin said the family was "thankful that the jury thoroughly and carefully weighed the evidence and issued a just verdict."[https://www.knoxnews.com/story/news/local/tennessee/2018/02/09/archives-jury-convicts-palin-e-mail-intruder-two-counts-mistrial-declared-id-theft/324928002/ Jury convicts Palin e-mail intruder on two counts; mistrial declared on ID theft], Knoxville News Sentinel, Jim Balloch, February 9, 2018.

The prosecutor, Assistant U.S. Attorney Greg Weddle, who had sought an 18-month prison sentence for Kernell, promised a retrial on the identity theft charge should he be successful in his attempt at receiving a new trial.{{cite news| url=http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/nationworld/2011810320_apuspalinhacked.html |title=ID theft retrial in Palin hacking hinges on appeal|date=May 7, 2010|newspaper=Seattle Times|agency=Associated Press}}

File:FCIAshland.jpg, where Kernell served part of his sentence]]

In November 2010, Kernell was sentenced to a year and a day of prison, preferably to be served in a halfway house, plus three years of probation, by U.S. District Judge Thomas Phillips, though he noted the Federal Bureau of Prisons (BOP) could override his recommendations.{{citation |title= Palin e-mail snoop sentenced to a year in custody. David Kernell faces the music for 2008 intrusion into candidate's account |author= Paul McNamara |publisher= Network World |date= 11 December 2010 | url= http://www.networkworld.com/community/blog/palin-e-mail-snoop-sentenced-year-prison }} However, the BOP, which makes the ultimate determination as to where federal prisoners serve their sentence, assigned Kernell to the minimum security prison at the Federal Correctional Institution, Ashland near Ashland, Kentucky.{{cite web|url=http://www.bop.gov/iloc2/InmateFinderServlet?Transaction=NameSearch&needingMoreList=false&FirstName=David&Middle=&LastName=Kernell&Race=U&Sex=U&Age=&x=0&y=0|title=Inmate locator, David C. Kernell|publisher=Federal Bureau of Prisons|access-date=February 11, 2011|quote=Release date, actual or projected 11-23-11}}{{cite news | title = Official explains placing David Kernell at Kentucky facility | date = January 28, 2011 | agency = Knoxville News-Sentinel | url = http://www.knoxnews.com/news/2011/jan/28/official-explains-placing-david-kernell-ky-facilit/ | access-date = January 28, 2011}}{{cite news|url=http://www.pcworld.com/article/216747/Palin_EMail_Hacker_Imprisoned_Against_Judge_Recommendation.html|title=Palin E-Mail Hacker Imprisoned Against Judge's Recommendation|work=PCWorld|author=Purewal, Sarah Jacobsson|date=14 January 2011|access-date=February 11, 2011}} Jose Santana, the chief of the BOP's Designation and Sentence Computation Center,[http://www.federalprisonauthority.com/who-we-are/ Federal Prison Authority- Who We Are Jose A. Santana JD], Federal Prison Authority. Retrieved February 10, 2018. said that halfway houses are for convicts who have limited skills and/or limited support from their families. Because Kernell had the support of his family and had attended a university for three years, Santana argued that he does not need to be in a halfway house."[https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2011/01/28/AR2011012802470.html Feds: Palin hacker too well-off for halfway house]{{dead link|date=June 2021|bot=medic}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}}." Associated Press at the Washington Post. Friday January 28, 2011. Retrieved on February 1, 2011. Kernell was later relocated to a halfway house.{{cite news |title=UT student David Kernell convicted of hacking Sarah Palin's e-mail, in halfway house |url=http://www.wbir.com/news/article/178576/2/UT-student-convicted-of-hacking-Palins-e-mail-in-halfway-house |archive-url=https://archive.today/20130209052905/http://www.wbir.com/news/article/178576/2/UT-student-convicted-of-hacking-Palins-e-mail-in-halfway-house |url-status=dead |archive-date=February 9, 2013 |work=WBIR-TV |location=Knoxville |date=August 2, 2011}}

David Christopher Kernell was the son of longtime Democratic state representative Mike Kernell of Memphis.

Kernell won the Tennessee Open Scholastic Chess Championship in 2004, and graduated in 2006 from Germantown High School. After release from BOP custody, he returned to the University of Tennessee, Knoxville to finish an economics degree. He first volunteered his programming skills to Tennessee Voices for Children, a child advocacy nonprofit group.{{Cite web|last=Humphrey|first=Tom|date=2018-02-09|title=David Kernell, who as UT student hacked Sarah Palin's email account, dead at age 30|url=https://onthehill.tnjournal.net/david-kernell-ut-student-hacked-sarah-palins-email-account-dead-age-30/|access-date=2020-10-10|website=TNJ|language=en-US}} Diagnosed with multiple sclerosis (MS) in 2014, Kernell participated in clinical research trials at the Cedars-Sinai Neurosciences Research Center in Los Angeles to help develop cures and treatments for other victims of MS. After moving to California, he developed facial recognition software that could identify children at risk of abuse.

Kernell died on February 2, 2018, in Newport Beach, California, at the age of 30, from complications related to progressive MS.{{Cite news|url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2018/02/08/student-who-hacked-sarah-palins-emails-during-2008-campaign-dies/322013002/|title=Student who hacked Sarah Palin's emails during 2008 campaign dies|work=USA TODAY|access-date=2018-02-09|language=en}}[https://www.adn.com/nation-world/2018/02/09/tennessee-man-who-hacked-sarah-palins-email-in-2008-dies/ Tennessee man who famously hacked Sarah Palin’s Yahoo email account in 2008 is dead], Commercial Appeal, Ryan Poe, February 9, 2018.

{{Portal|United States|Internet|2000s}}

• List of material published by WikiLeaks
• Timeline of events associated with Anonymous
• Email privacy

{{reflist|colwidth=30em}}

• [https://www.scribd.com/doc/35688046/Christopher-Moot-Poole-Testimony-in-Palin-Email-Trial Court testimony by 4chan's founder and former administrator "moot"]

{{Hacking in the 2000s}}

{{4chan}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Sarah Palin email hack}}

Email hack

Category:Privacy of telecommunications

Category:Yahoo! Mail

Category:Privacy in the United States

Category:Hacking of Yahoo!

Category:Email hacking

Category:4chan

Category:September 2008 crimes in the United States

Category:Hacking in the 2000s