11-year-old Reuben Paul hacks cyber-security officials’ devices to teach a lesson on ‘weaponisation’

Reuben Paul schooled the experts at the cyber-security conference in Netherlands

By: Isha Mishra |
May 17, 2017 8:14 pm

Reuben Paul, an 11-year-old cyber pro, stumped the audience with his expertise and hacking skills during the cybersecurity conference held in Netherlands on May 16. Reuben, who is a white hacker and cyber security expert, raised a very important question about how interconnected gadgets and devices can be easily hacked even in this era of high technology. To make his point clear, Reuben demonstrated the easy weaponizing of gadgets by hacking the Bluetooth device of the officials, to remotely operate a stuffed bear. Reuben, who is a sixth-grade student in Texas, plugged a computer board—Raspberry Pi—to his laptop and scanned for available Bluetooth devices.

Paul shocked everyone by breaking into the devices of even high-security officials and used it to showcase how easy it is to break into a device. The bewitched audience saw him fooling around with the lights and show recorded messages from the audience through the bear. This comes as a big surprise especially when WannaCry ransomware is on a surge and stresses the importance of cyber-security.