The media frenzy surrounding Sarah Palin’s hacked e-mail account is far from dying down. The Alaskan Governor’s e-mail password was reset on September 16th. The hacked account was gov.palin@yahoo.com, and breaking it was quite easy for 20-year-old David Kernell.

Yahoo enables you to reset your password in case you forget it. You have to click “I forgot my password” and you are taken to a form where you are asked a few basic questions regarding your personal information. Among others, you have to fill in your birth date and your ZIP code, which have to match the ones you typed in when setting the account. Then, you have to answer a question such as giving the name of your pet.

David Kernell managed to answer the questions, which wasn’t very hard as Palin’s birth date and ZIP code are no state secrets. But David didn’t stop there: he copied the account information, the password and the contents of some e-mails and posted them on infamous message boards 4chan.org. “Rubico”, as David is known online, also gave out personal information on Palin’s family members, which he found in the Republican Vice-Presidential Candidate’s e-mails, information such as e-mail addresses but also personal phone numbers.

The issue takes a political turn as David Kernell is none other than the son of Mike Kernell, long-time Democratic legislator. Mike Kernell denied any implication in his son’s illegal activities and also denied rumors that alleged he was aware of his son’s intentions.

Because of his actions, David Kernell was brought to trial wearing handcuffs and ankle shackles, and faces a maximum sentence of five years in a state prison, three years of monitored release and a fine of a whopping $250,000. Also, he might be imprisoned until the trial date if he violates conditions such as not being allowed to own a computer and being denied Internet access for any other purpose than doing his homework and checking his e-mail. Yes, his e-mail. David turned himself in and plead not guilty, and the trial is set for December 16th.