# How much of the Russian hack was the Democrats fault? **URL:** \ **Category:** Politics & Elections\ **Created:** [July 22, 2018, 7:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-of-the-russian-hack-was-the-democrats-fault/818385 "2018-07-22T19:50:38Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 8\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![steronz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/steronz/32/11765_2.png) [@steronz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/steronz)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2018, 3:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-of-the-russian-hack-was-the-democrats-fault/818385/61 "2018-07-25T15:56:28Z")
> [@DesertDog](#): > > I have not been able to confirm this, but it is my understanding that the Russians got into the DNC’s mail server by guessing the password was password. You probably haven’t been able to confirm it [because it’s not true](https://www.politifact.com/punditfact/statements/2017/jan/06/jesse-watters/claim-john-podestas-email-password-was-password-la/). John Podesta was spear-phished by Russians, as was an unnamed DCCC staffer via which Russians were able to install key-loggers on the DNC network. It goes without saying that spear-phishing indicates a targeted attack (by Russia against the DNC), and not somebody randomly finding an unlocked door. ---
**Author:** ![RitterSport](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rittersport/32/6326_2.png) [@RitterSport](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RitterSport)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2018, 3:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-of-the-russian-hack-was-the-democrats-fault/818385/62 "2018-07-25T15:56:35Z")
> [@DesertDog](#): > > That’s ‘[colusion](https://www.spin.com/2018/07/trump-russia-notes-no-collusion/).’ > > I have not been able to confirm this, but it is my understanding that the Russians got into the DNC’s mail server by guessing the password was password. Eh-h-h-h, that’s like saying a guy who strolled in your unlocked front door committed a break-in. Sure, he shouldn’t be rooting around in your stuff, but I would call it taking advantage of an opportunity. I think they got in through spear phishing a high level DNC member (whose name escapes me). That is, they sent this guy specifically tailored e-mails and fooled him into downloading malware. Spear phishing is different than normal phishing in that it’s targeting a specific person, rather than “Dear bank customre, your acount has been compromised. Click here to reset your pasword.” It’s more like, “RitterSport – we just saw those pictures you posted on Facebook and your family looks great! You should check out these pictures from our recent vacation – I think you’d enjoy them. --Close friend of RS” ETA: D’oh, ninja’d. ---
**Author:** ![Sage\_Rat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sage_rat/32/399_2.png) [@Sage\_Rat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sage_Rat)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2018, 7:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-of-the-russian-hack-was-the-democrats-fault/818385/63 "2018-07-25T19:02:17Z")
> [@DesertDog](#): > > That’s ‘[colusion](https://www.spin.com/2018/07/trump-russia-notes-no-collusion/).’ > > I have not been able to confirm this, but it is my understanding that the Russians got into the DNC’s mail server by guessing the password was password. Eh-h-h-h, that’s like saying a guy who strolled in your unlocked front door committed a break-in. Sure, he shouldn’t be rooting around in your stuff, but I would call it taking advantage of an opportunity. Like I said in the post you quoted, blame doesn’t have to add up to 100% between multiple parties. If you’re doing something illicit then you’re 100% in the wrong. That doesn’t absolve what the other person has done. They can be to blame, as well, anywhere from 0 to 100%. It’s always a crime to break into someone else’s account. There’s no case where somehow that’s not a crime, just as there’s no amount of clothing that a woman needs to wear or else it’s okay to rape her. But despite the ‘victim cannot be blamed’ theory, that doesn’t absolve the victim if they were grossly stupid. Living your life with the expectation that everyone else will behave is not wise, but prosecuting people as though everyone should be able to live with that expectation is completely fair. ---
**Author:** ![ElvisL1ves](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/5daacb/32.png) [@ElvisL1ves](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ElvisL1ves)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2018, 8:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-of-the-russian-hack-was-the-democrats-fault/818385/64 "2018-07-25T20:03:02Z")
> [@steronz](#): > > John Podesta was spear-phished by Russians, as was an unnamed DCCC staffer via which Russians were able to install key-loggers on the DNC network. But at least we got his risotto recipe out of it. ---
**Author:** ![squidfood](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a87d85/32.png) [@squidfood](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/squidfood)\ **Post date:** [July 25, 2018, 8:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-of-the-russian-hack-was-the-democrats-fault/818385/65 "2018-07-25T20:43:43Z")
> [@Sage\_Rat](#): > > There’s no case where somehow that’s not a crime, just as there’s no amount of clothing that a woman needs to wear or else it’s okay to rape her. But despite the ‘victim cannot be blamed’ theory, that doesn’t absolve the victim if they were grossly stupid. The better analogy is if someone has a bodyguard, and is kidnapped (or raped or whatever) because the bodyguard wasn’t paying attention, you criminally blame the perpetrator, but you also fire the bodyguard. If it turns out the bodyguard had a history of inattentiveness, it might reflect badly on whomever hired them. ---
**Author:** ![EarlGrayHot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/e480ec/32.png) [@EarlGrayHot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EarlGrayHot)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2018, 12:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-of-the-russian-hack-was-the-democrats-fault/818385/66 "2018-07-26T12:05:27Z")
Ultimately-none. The fault lies with the hackers who were deliberately committing an illegal act. The Russians were trying to help TRUMP get elected, not Clinton. To try to blame Clinton is ridiculous. ---
**Author:** ![DesertDog](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/desertdog/32/11503_2.png) [@DesertDog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DesertDog)\ **Post date:** [July 26, 2018, 12:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-of-the-russian-hack-was-the-democrats-fault/818385/67 "2018-07-26T12:52:23Z")
> [@steronz](#): > > You probably haven’t been able to confirm it [because it’s not true](https://www.politifact.com/punditfact/statements/2017/jan/06/jesse-watters/claim-john-podestas-email-password-was-password-la/). Thank you for that. Good thing I didn’t use it much. \ ---
**Author:** ![Buck\_Godot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/buck_godot/32/6573_2.png) [@Buck\_Godot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Buck_Godot)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2018, 12:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-of-the-russian-hack-was-the-democrats-fault/818385/68 "2018-07-27T00:30:11Z")
> [@Silver\_lining](#): > > Just pointing out this Russia tried to influence our election business starts with the Dem’s. It was on their watch. Are these facts too uncomfortable to talk about here? When I see humor replies with zero rebuttals, the answer would be yes. Obama and Clinton are to blame. The rise of Nazism started under the Weimar Republic therefore it is entirely their fault and Hitler was blameless. As to the OP, they are as much to blame as someone who left home with their door locked but still had their house broken into while they were a way. Yes, it might have helped to invest in better security measures, but you live in learn. In any case they are less to blame than the person who actually did the breaking in, and still less than those that knowingly received the stolen property. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-much-of-the-russian-hack-was-the-democrats-fault/818385.md?page=3)