« KENNEDY CAMPAIGN: UPDATE ON STATUS OF INVESTIGATION INTO THEFT OF KENNEDY AD | Home | KUNIN’S CLAIM OF TYPING JUST “ALLEN” DISPUTED BY REPRESENTATIVES OF SCOTT HOWELL »
STAR TRIBUNE: KUNIN MADE 18 ATTEMPTS TO GAIN ACCESS TO WEBSITE
By Michael B. Brodkorb | September 22, 2006
“Was it a password or a speed bump?
A criminal investigation into the leak of a political ad that forced the resignation of a top aide to U.S. Senate candidate Amy Klobuchar might hinge on how authorities interpret those bits of Web jargon.
Logs of Internet traffic show that blogger Noah Kunin made 18 attempts to gain access to an ad agency’s website containing an unreleased ad for Mark Kennedy, Republican candidate for the U.S. Senate, a spokesman for the agency said Thursday.
The blogger’s aggressive attempts to penetrate the website might be criminal hacking or they simply might be routine antics in the new world of Internet-based politics, where computer geeks delight in discovering the undiscovered, and where pushing the envelope is part of the game.
Kunin last week sent Klobuchar communications director Tara McGuinness a Web link to an unaired TV ad for Kennedy. Klobuchar, the DFL Senate nominee, learned of the episode over the weekend. On Wednesday, Klobuchar’s campaign apologized and announced that McGuinness had resigned. Campaign officials said they first notified the FBI of the incident on Monday and filed a formal report on Wednesday.
Kunin posted an explanation of the incident on his blog, www.blanked-out.com.
He said he simply typed one name on the agency’s website and was directed to a page containing the Kennedy ad.
That’s not what happened, said Dan Allen of Scott Howell & Co., the Dallas-based agency handling Kennedy advertising.
‘He tried more than a dozen names — 18 in all,’ Allen said. ‘The fact that he was trying other names proves [Kunin's explanation] to be false. It’s a password-protected, secure site.’” Source: Star Tribune, September 22, 2006
Click here for complete story.
###
This is a reminder that I am a part-time consultant to Mark Kennedy’s U.S. Senate campaign. Minnesota Democrats Exposed is not created, endorsed, sponsored, or authorized by any political party, candidate, or candidate’s committee. It’s all me and always will be and I am very proud of Minnesota Democrats Exposed.
Topics: Uncategorized | 34 Comments »
34 Responses to “STAR TRIBUNE: KUNIN MADE 18 ATTEMPTS TO GAIN ACCESS TO WEBSITE”
Comments
You must be logged in to post a comment.
September 22nd, 2006 at 4:16 am
“‘The fact that he was trying other names proves [Kunin's explanation] to be false. It’s a password-protected, secure site.’”
- – -
Uh, no. Yes, it may be a “password-protected site.” But, if he just tried 18 combos, and got in, it’s not a “secure site.”
Your own fault, guys.
September 22nd, 2006 at 5:14 am
From the story:
But a former federal cybercrimes prosecutor suggested Kunin might have done nothing more than bypass a “speed bump.”
* * *
“Passwords can serve many functions and come in many forms,” said Minneapolis attorney Paul Luehr, who has been hired by Kunin’s legal defense team to assess the incident independently. “That can make the facts of a specific case more ambiguous.”
Me: Which is it? Is he working for the legal defense team or is he assessing the incident “independently”?
September 22nd, 2006 at 7:32 am
Uh, no. Yes, it may be a “password-protected site.†But, if he just tried 18 combos, and got in, it’s not a “secure site.â€
Your own fault, guys.
Just because it wasn’t as secure as you’d like doesn’t make it “your own fault”. Because I don’t lock my front door doesn’t mean the guy who comes into my house without permission and steals from me isn’t a criminal.
He didn’t have permission and had to GUESS 18 times to get past security (as woeful as it might have been). Clearly he was attempting to BREAK IN to a system designed (badly) to keep out unauthorized people.
September 22nd, 2006 at 7:35 am
I think the example of the ring of keys best sums it up. Just because you get into another computer easily doesn’t make it legal. If he had stolen a list of social security numbers I think the conversation would be a bit differen’t. Every home computer out on the net with weak passwords are not legal to enter and snoop and steal just because the owner uses weak passwords and the same would go for this advertising company.
September 22nd, 2006 at 8:21 am
So let me get this straight.
I find a set of keys in a parking lot. I use the key on the cars in the lot, finally finding the correct car on the 18th try. I take the car out for a spin. Did I just bypass a “speed bump” or did I steal the car?
September 22nd, 2006 at 8:32 am
Major issues of the 2006 midterm election for Mark Kennedy:
1. CAMPAIGN ADS
2. ????????
3. ??????
4. ????????
5. ????????
178.Iraq
September 22nd, 2006 at 8:54 am
So Amy, a so called chief prosecutor, has pulled a Nixon on Minnesota. Yes, undoubtedly there was a break-in, and now the lies. You dem cheerleaders as always try to change the subject but the law is involved now and this will follow her campaign until the bitter end. Oh..you have a secret weapon – you’ll blame President George Bush on this. That’s original.
September 22nd, 2006 at 8:56 am
But wait, I thought Roving Reporter said it was leaked to the blogger!
September 22nd, 2006 at 9:00 am
Actually, Mark P., I think near the top is (and should be)`Amy Klobuchar’s dismal performance as prosecutor’.
She lets criminals walk, AND they work on her campaign!
Nor THAT’S some fairness and tolerance.
September 22nd, 2006 at 9:01 am
Actually, Mark P., I think near the top is (and should be)`Amy Klobuchar’s dismal performance as prosecutor’.
She lets criminals walk, AND they work on her campaign!
Now THAT’S some fairness and tolerance.
(Corrected typo).
September 22nd, 2006 at 9:07 am
Major issues of the 2006 midterm election for Mark Kennedy:
1. INTEGRITY
2. INTEGRITY
3. INTEGRITY
4. INTEGRITY
5. INTEGRITY
178. FEMALE
September 22nd, 2006 at 9:23 am
Seriously DFL’ers, at some point there has to be some behavior you won’t find an excuse for.
I’m still waiting for all the liberals to criticize Clinton for bombing Iraq.
September 22nd, 2006 at 9:29 am
I know by the time NDE repeats this story over and over and the slow-to-comprehend like annie rice/amy a./Diane/Kim, JonM, and others will have Noah as a campaign employee.
He was a blogger- idependent of the campaign though, strongly a fan (unlike MDE who is actually paid by Kennedy).
He sent a commercial he took w/o permission and sent it to the Klobuchar campaign.
The campaign thought about what to do- without outside pressure, released the receipiant of the commerical AND got the FBI involved which doesn’t seem to be working out too well for Noah.
Amy did the right thing. Why the FBI and not local cops (people like Diane would be screaming that since she works WITH local cops all the time, they wouldn’t be fair)? Well the campaign is a federal campaign and therefore governed and regulated by federal statutes- not state or county.
Her communications didn’t steal anything. SHe distributed a commerical that was sent to her from someone who stole/borrowed/peeked in on it.
How is she a criminal- oh it doesn’t matter what really happened, just that the GOP can maybe cut that 22 point lead in half with innuendos and lies.
Speaking of connections and innuendos, isn’t Mark Kennedy campaign manager an Enron guy? These commercials are produced by a company that is ran by convivted felon Jack Abramoff former aides as well as indicted Republican Tom Delay’s former aides.
Gives you an idea of the kind of criminals that Kennedy is prepared to surround himself with (present company excluded Michael). That’s a story in itself. What of the campaign money he’s taken from admitted criminals like Bob Ney and Duke Cunningham?
You want to talk criminal campaign connections?
September 22nd, 2006 at 9:48 am
Kunin took 18 attempts at figuring out the password. By doing that, he demonstrated an intent to wilfully break and enter into the web site. The fact that it was “easy” to determine the password does not excuse his trespassory behavior.
September 22nd, 2006 at 9:54 am
DJZ. I agree with your first points. I believe Amy handled this rather well. But you lost me on the last part. Anyone who ever worked for Enron is bad?
September 22nd, 2006 at 9:58 am
Nice try DJZ. I’m so VERY slow to comprehend, and generally doltish as most of us on the Right are, but I’m sure you’ll allow for that.
You say Kunin wasn’t an official part of the campaign, yet he is a well connected DFLer who clearly wanted Klobuchar to use his ill-gotten gain. And to a point, the campaign accepted it.
To say Kunin wasn’t part of the campaign is disingenuous in the first place, of course. He’s no different than the unpaid volunteers they use. Unless you’d like to describe the rigorous interviewing and screen process Amy uses.
And your innuendoes about the Kennedy vampaign are ham-handed. Do you have any proof that the donation you mention is illegal? Do you have any proof any of the individuals you cite have committed crimes?
I didn’t think so.
September 22nd, 2006 at 9:59 am
So mark Kennedy does approve of the title “Noah Kunin is Jerk Blogger”
good to know.
September 22nd, 2006 at 10:18 am
Now I am ticked! He got to try 18 times!!! Man when I forget my password on ebay, it only gives me three attempts before it boots me!!
Wait, maybe ebay has a more secure site??????????
Anyone know if there is someone on ebay that will put together campaign ads?
September 22nd, 2006 at 10:22 am
Dave, I was using the same formula that others use to tie some Democrats in with n’er do wells. This website is fueled by those kind of loose connections and innuendos.
Of course anyone who has worked for Enron is not bad.
Anyone who is a Muslim is not bad.
Hatch, Ellison, Entenza, Dittrich, Swanson, Ritchie, Otto, Johnson and other Dems have been ‘exposed’ for having as loose connections.
For the record most people that worked for Enron were victims and lost their retirement savings and investments because of a few in managment and the lack of clear regulatory distinctions by the federal government (lobbied that way by Enron’s CEO).
My first sentence in number 14 should have MDE in it, not NDE. I don’t think Brodkorb has expanded to Nebraska.
September 22nd, 2006 at 10:26 am
I would say that everyone who ever worked for Enron isn’t bad, but it is a fairly good guess that the chief lobbyist who was the point person with the White House while the water was swirling out of the tub probably has a fair amount of filth on him. And to have an ad agency run by former DeLay/Abramhoff staffers is not another choice I would make if, as RBMN is implying, integrity is the campaign message you want to put out there.
You all question Ellison’s chosen associations, but these folks that Mark Kennedy is trusting as his advisiors really need more scrutiny as well.
When I can say that Michael Brodkorb may be the cleanest person working for the campaign, that should scare all Minnesotans.
September 22nd, 2006 at 10:46 am
RR, you wanna make a comparison between the NOI and FORMER STAFFERS of Abramoff/DeLay etc., be my guest.
I think I know the winner of that little contest.
September 22nd, 2006 at 10:57 am
I’m just saying, Ellison has apologized for his past connection with NOI, where as Mark Kennedy currently has a former Enron lobbyist writing checks to the few remaining Abramhoff and DeLay staffers who aren’t currently in jail.
You do the integrity math.
September 22nd, 2006 at 11:22 am
You say Kunin wasn’t an official part of the campaign, yet he is a well connected DFLer who clearly wanted Klobuchar to use his ill-gotten gain. And to a point, the campaign accepted it.
That point being the point at which the campaign fired the staffer who “accepted” it and reported her and Kunin to the FBI.
No doubt, Noah’s in some trouble, and the latest revelations aren’t to his favor. But the truth is that it doesn’t matter if Noah used his 1337 skills to hack into that site–the Klobuchar campaign wasn’t hacking, didn’t countenance it, and when the actual campaign chair and candidate found out about it, they cleaned house.
I know that’s really hard for you guys to take, but in the end, this is an example of Amy Klobuchar doing the right thing, even if one of her supporters and some of her staffers did wrong.
September 22nd, 2006 at 11:25 am
RR, if Ellison would get up in public and say `I consider the NOI to be a hate group, and I repudiate them and deeply regret my past associations’. then you’d have something.
But to my knowledge he’s done no such thing.
September 22nd, 2006 at 11:31 am
When I can say that Michael Brodkorb may be the cleanest person working for the campaign, that should scare all Minnesotans.
Listening to Roving Defender of Con Man on who is “clean” is what would be really scary to Minnesotans.
September 22nd, 2006 at 11:46 am
Thanks Jon for making my point to Dave.
You ask two questions:
1. Legality. It’s about ethics here (Delay admonished four times by the committee he stacked himself). It’s dirty money but, still passed the legal loophole.
2. My proof on the individuals I accuse of being criminals is that two out of the four are in prison (Cunningham and Abramoff) for dirty money, one has admitted to beign dirty and will be sentenced soon (Ney), and one has been indicted twice and retired from Congress (Delay), awaiting his trial. Allen is former staffer of Delay and Abramoff (Young Republicans). Scott Howell is the man behind the Kilgore ‘Hitler’ ads as well as the Swift Boat Veterans that took Kerry down.
That’s a helluva bunch to be involved with. Though they are serious, they are also dirty.
September 22nd, 2006 at 12:11 pm
“2. My proof on the individuals I accuse of being criminals is that two out of the four are in prison (Cunningham and Abramoff) for dirty money, one has admitted to beign dirty and will be sentenced soon (Ney), and one has been indicted twice and retired from Congress (Delay), awaiting his trial. Allen is former staffer of Delay and Abramoff (Young Republicans). Scott Howell is the man behind the Kilgore ‘Hitler’ ads as well as the Swift Boat Veterans that took Kerry down.
That’s a helluva bunch to be involved with. Though they are serious, they are also dirty.”
So, by your own admission, Howell and Allen have done nothing ethically or legally wrong.
Why do you continue to insinuate otherwise?
Your attempt at equivalnce is ridiculous. Associating with Howell and Allen is in NO way comparable to being a front man for the NOI. Hiring a staffer in NO way is an endorsement of anyone’s former bosses views.
There is NO comparison — none.
September 22nd, 2006 at 12:52 pm
Organizeing for the Million Man March is NO way makes someone a follower of Louis Farrakhan.
But that doesn’t seem to stop y’all from making huge jumps between the two in trying to make Keith Ellison look bad.
September 22nd, 2006 at 2:10 pm
Ellison was a front man for the NOI? When?
Ellison has had all of this plus more dragged out to the public and was still elected in the primary, the voters will decide if he is ready for Congress, not the Republican Party.
—-This is about Mark Kennedy and Amy Klobuchar.
I did make a mistake, Pat Shortridge was a lobbyist for Enron. Enron push for the loose auditing and accounting regulations so, yes- he’s bad. Now he’s in charge of Kennedy’s future. Kennedy is down by 22 points but, I’m sure Shortridge has fudged it enough to make Kennedy and you “JonM” see it as he’s leading.
What are you saying?
Both of these gyus have made a career out of working for people who are ethically challenged and had a habit of taking dirty money. Now, Mark Kennedy has hired these two. Couple that decision with Pat Shortridge, who made his career on people who are ethically challenged and fake money (lies), and it tells us that Mark Kennedy beleives in their tactics and approves of dirty money.
The difference is that Kennedy hired these three after everything I put forth was public information. Klobuchar’s staffer didn’t have this in the background and she still let her go the moment it smelled bad. Afterall, she hasn’t broken any laws.
The Republicans are poised to use lies and ethically challenged individuals to obtain power.
September 22nd, 2006 at 3:16 pm
“Just because it wasn’t as secure as you’d like doesn’t make it “your own faultâ€.”
Yeah, I said that badly. The access was the result of Kunin’s dishonest conduct. It was clearly his fault. No question. I, who get peeved when people talk about other kinds of crime being someone’s fault besides the criminal’s, should know to phrase that better.
What I meant was, in this day and age, and in a matter as important as the election campaign of a US Senator, if you’re going to have stuff on a server that you want to keep private, it’s gross negligence to risk it with a half-assed attempt at “security.” And, if he could simply guess at passwords 18 times and get it, it was truly half-assed.
September 22nd, 2006 at 3:18 pm
You continue to say Republican `lie’, yet you have made no firm accusation against any of the individuals you just cited, only vague associations.
I believe that is called projection.
Roving — so you are coming here, right now, and saying Ellison’s ONLY connection with the NOI was the MMM? Is that right?
September 22nd, 2006 at 3:31 pm
DJZ:
/Amy did the right thing. Why the FBI and not local cops (people like Diane would be screaming that since she works WITH local cops all the time, they wouldn’t be fair)? Well the campaign is a federal campaign and therefore governed and regulated by federal statutes- not state or county. /
So wrong.
AMY doesn’t work with the cops, she doesn’t do anything about crime period!
She waited, Even you cannot cover that.
Not for an afterenoon…for five days.
That five day watz has now turned into a tap dance.
How about the OTHER stffers who saw the ad? Who are also illefal and worth removal. What of those souls?
If it can be proven on her computer that she, Tara, had prior contact with the blogger, Noah, then we have another issue.
In these times of sensitivity to e,ails and the opening of links etc…
It is safe to assume here that Tara knew it would be SAFE to OPEN the email from Noah and then SAFE to OPEN the link on her at work computer which contained all kinds of campaign files and information!
Revelation: She knew what she was doing.
Now we have the issue of ‘who you gonna call’ after one of the staffers has a brain and says ‘hey this is not a good thing to do guys’.
The local police should have been notified right away along with mark Kennedy.
But maybe they were having too much fun hacking to stop the party and and admit that tis was going to be found out because the staffer was going to squeal?
Anyone else been removed from her camp recently?
Now she calls the FBI because it is NOT the local police who will gossip and mess with her because they don’t like how she works in Hennepin County.
It has nothing to do with thei being a federal campaign at all!
You report the crime in the city and the county it has occurred and that is the jurisdiction of it!
Everyone knows that. And then local goes to federal. Unless you are reporting a crime involving international commerce or something.
So she settles for the FBI protection of a lengthy investigation which will last beyond the election day.
WOW!
The perfect crime…until they tracked Noah’s attempts and are now finding that he lied.
He lied to protect AMY!
A disgusting mess.
Amy needs to be a ‘gentleman’ and come forth with the answers that the Kennedy camp is asking for.
Why not?
’cause she is hiding a lot! That’s why.
September 22nd, 2006 at 4:21 pm
Dumbass Diane/Amy A./Betty
The Hennepin County Prosecutor works daily with the Minneapolis Department. Dozens of cases. The managers (top brass in the MPD and HCA and Cheif Assistant) work every week at their agenda together.
You’re not just crazy. I think you’re kind of retarded. If you are a certain woman from Minneapolis that has been fueling other stories on here, then I’m positive you’re a nutjob on the loose.
Look at the shit you write, you’re like the Uni-Bomber.
September 24th, 2006 at 5:38 am
DJZ…..words like crazy, retarded, nutjob on the loose, uni-bomber and shit reveal your inability to comprehend reality