"I Stole Your Password"

We're still receiving e-mails concerning our posting some unflattering, sexually suggestive photos of a local councilwoman. While most felt we were wrong to remove the photographs, at least one reader felt we were hypocritical to have posted the shots in the first place, "back peddle," then publish a guest commentary criticizing another local blog for posting libelous material.

Were we wrong or back peddling when we removed the photographs? First, actual photos aren't rumors, so the shots could hardly be considered libelous. Second, when we originally posted the suggestive shots, they had previously been posted at three other sites--two of them belonging to the subject herself and password protected. We had no reason at that time to think the councilwoman had not posted these images.

After she contacted us, saying the two social networking sites had been hacked, we removed the photos. This isn't back peddling, it's common courtesy. That doesn't mean we totally bought in to the sites being compromised. After all, it's almost impossible to hack a password protected site, isn't it?

Well...no. Many individuals use only one e-mail account. If you have their e-mail address, you're well on your way to hacking their personal accounts. Facebook, as well as many other sites, uses one's e-mail address as the initial sign on info. While the password is, or should be, much harder to obtain, it's far from impossible.

We're speculating the councilwoman gave a friend or co-worker her password to some innocuous site--the same password she used for each of her other accounts. Even if she used a distinct password for each account, all it takes to hack these other sites is access to the subject's e-mail to retrieve any and all other passwords.

There's also the possibility that a co-worker or employer used keystroke recording software to obtain the password(s). Such software can be purchased for around $60.00, and more and more companies are using it.

C. R. will be at the Cherokee Town Council meeting Tuesday night. Perhaps the name of the hacker will be revealed...but we're not holding our breath.

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Interested in joining the Tea Party Patriots of North Alabama. You can call 256-412-1710 or visit their website here: Link

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UNA to play in Division I? There's certainly enough talk, but we haven't heard the word stadium mentioned. There have been numerous improvements in the past 18 months, but Braly is still a far cry from most Division I home fields.

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Travel back to Russellville in 1909: Link




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