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Cracking Palin's Email Was Easy, Hacker Writes

Personal details used to trick Yahoo's password protection

By Drew Nelles, Newser Staff

Posted Sep 18, 2008 4:51 PM CDT

(Newser) – The hacker who recently accessed Sarah Palin’s email hardly broke a sweat, reports PC Magazine, citing the alleged perp’s account: All he or she had to do was look up some personal information on the Republican VP candidate. Using Yahoo’s password-recovery service, the hacker entered easily accessible biographical info—Palin’s birthday and zip code—then stumbled upon the answer to her security question.

Palin sometimes uses her Yahoo email to conduct government business, making the hack especially troubling. But this should serve as a lesson for everyone, writes Brian Heater in the magazine's AppScout feature. “You don't need to access a Wikipedia page about someone to get this kind of information. If someone who knows you personally has malicious intent, tidbits about how you met your significant other are easy to come by.”

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This screenshot from Gawker.com shows an email account of Republican vice presidential candidate, Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin. (AP Photo)

Republican vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin addresses supporters during a rally today in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. (AP Photo)

Hackers accessed Sarah Palin's email using Yahoo's "forgot-my-password" feature, AP reports. (AP Photo/Jack Dempsey, File)

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Cracking Palin's Email Was Easy, Hacker Writes

Personal details used to trick Yahoo's password protection

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