Eight Year Boy To Address Cyber Security Conference

An eight year old boy has addressed a cyber security conference in India, describing the need for the IT industry to teach information security skills in schools.

Child prodigy Reuben Paul is of Indian heritage, but is now based in the United States. Despite his very young age, Paul will address the Ground Zero Summit to be held in Delhi on Friday, which also lists Indian Minister of State for External Affairs VK Singh as a keynote speaker.

Security Whiz

Speaking at the event will not be a new experience for the eight-year old prodigy. He has also previously addressed the Houston Security Conference, as well as several other industry meetings.

Paul will tell the audience what it takes to equip the current generation with the necessary cybersecurity skills, and will also demonstrate white page hacking.

“I started learning about computer languages around one- and-a-half years back. Now I design my own projects,” Reuben was quoted as saying by IBNLive. The youngster has been trained by his father, Mano Paul, in Object C programming language and is now learning Swift programming for Apple’s iOS platform.

“I started learning about computer languages around one- and-a-half years back. Now I design my own projects,” said Paul, who also started a gaming firm called Prudent Games. He holds the title of CEO, but his father (Mano) is his partner in the company.

Other keynote speakers at the conference include Home Ministry Joint Secretary Nirmaljeet Singh Kalsi, Special Commissioner Police (Traffic) with Delhi Police Muktesh Chander, and National Technical Research Organization Director of Cyber Security Operations Alok Vijayant.

Skills Shortage

People with security skills are in constant demand around the world, but experts in the field tend to be at least a decade old at the very least!

Earlier this month, a report warned of the UK’s lack of available talent with the right cyber security skills.

It said this skills shortage presents a very real danger to British businesses, and said that unless the deficit in the number of available cyber security professionals is addressed, British businesses will remain the target of cyber attacks.

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