tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10348701.post6613458589031289945..comments2024-03-13T21:26:03.011-07:00Comments on Right on the Left Coast: Views From a Conservative Teacher: Free Speech, the Election, and FIREDarrenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15730642770935985796noreply@blogger.comBlogger7125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10348701.post-37131852655975818032008-10-17T19:24:00.000-07:002008-10-17T19:24:00.000-07:00No, in this case social engineering is, I believe,...No, in this case social engineering is, I believe, the correct term. <BR/><BR/>The kid didn't crack Palin's e-mail account using some arcane technical knowledge so it wasn't a technical exploit. He did it by guessing the answers to some of the security questions that are asked when a password reset is requested. <BR/><BR/>I'm not sure what else you'd call this type of exploit but social engineering.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10348701.post-78582368712082419032008-10-17T17:07:00.000-07:002008-10-17T17:07:00.000-07:00This "college kid" happens to be the son of a Demo...This "college kid" happens to be the son of a Democrat elected official. You want to tell me there was no political malice intended, then go ahead and live in that fantasy world, but deep in your heart you know better. And Obama hasn't actually said anything chastising him either.Ellen Khttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02845981491726296767noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10348701.post-71498661490195957032008-10-17T12:55:00.000-07:002008-10-17T12:55:00.000-07:00I have no problem with felony charges since it was...I have no problem with felony charges since it was a felony, but calling him a "little social engineer" is like saying a person who shoplifts is an "agent of anarchy." The run of the mill person who exploits computer security flaws do so to a) see if it could be done and b) show that they could do it. The issue isn't should there be a price for breaking simple security, but if robbing a house is as easy as turning the door knob or really having to pick a lock, and in this case it's sadly more like turning a door knob. Locks on houses exist since cheap security prevents the more casual criminal, which is all he was.Unknownhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03656997291136912131noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10348701.post-42234634063192676612008-10-17T09:04:00.000-07:002008-10-17T09:04:00.000-07:00It's easy to throw a rock through a window. Don't ...It's easy to throw a rock through a window. Don't expect to be patted on the head for demonstrating the fact though.<BR/><BR/>Criminal law exists to put a high price on actions that aren't all that difficult to perform. How tough is it to knock down an old lady and steal her purse? Not tough at all so the law is there raise the ante on the decision.<BR/><BR/>I wouldn't have any qualms about sticking the kid with a felony label. He knew what he was doing was wrong, he probably knew it was a crime. He didn't care so let's give him a reason to care and maybe some other industrious lad will decide to not emulate our little social engineer.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10348701.post-1219413695960441992008-10-17T08:25:00.000-07:002008-10-17T08:25:00.000-07:00I think some people have been in academia so long ...I think some people have been in academia so long they forget what the real world (including the 1st amendement) is like!Pomoprophethttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16365996287266677853noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10348701.post-58930492440611661622008-10-17T02:33:00.000-07:002008-10-17T02:33:00.000-07:00I don't understand why people keep harping on the ...I don't understand why people keep harping on the "hacker" and his "hacking" of Sarah Palin's email. No credible person is saying it was justified, but sadly most people don't seem to see how easy it was to do. The college student who did it did it on his own without encouragement of any political community, yet he is being treated like hes some master political agent rather than a person interested in the unbelievable weak security of web-based email. If anything it shows the flaw in having no external email address confirmation needed for the resetting of passwords. Web based email is notoriously unsafe due to technical and security problems, if there should be outrage it should be at the continued use of such poor security practices. No one argues that it was justified, but on a purely technical view I see bringing the problem to the public light as being a very important process, although the public seems far less interested than it should be.Unknownhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03656997291136912131noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10348701.post-19038416338488017532008-10-16T19:49:00.000-07:002008-10-16T19:49:00.000-07:00Such is the political climate that those who do su...Such is the political climate that those who do support McCain are fearful of having stickers on their cars or signs in their yards. The ambient violence expressed by the left, their diatribes, their willingness to breech laws and to believe that the end justifies the means, is frankly frightening. If you can justify hacking into emails, publishing private information and violating HIPA just to make your guy look better, then maybe your guy didn't look so good to begin with.Ellen Khttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02845981491726296767noreply@blogger.com