Interviews: Ask Reuben Paul What Hackers Can Learn From an 8-Year-Old 44
Reuben A. Paul, aka RAPstar, has something of a head-start when it comes to learning about computer security: his father, Mano Paul, has been a security researcher (and instructor) for many years. So Reuben grew up around computers, seeing firsthand that they're neither mysterious nor impregnable.
Reuben, though, has a curious mind and his own computer security interests, and a knack for telling others about them; last month, he became the youngest-ever speaker at DerbyCon, and explained some of what he's picked up so far on what kids can learn about security, as well as what the security field can learn from kids. (One hard to dispute nugget: "Kids are the best social engineers, followed by puppies.")
Ask of Reuben whatever you'd like, below (please, one question per post), and we'll get answers to selected questions when we catch up with him at next week's Houston Security Conference. (This year's conference is sold out, but there's always 2015.)
I like kids (Score:2, Funny)
Reuben, have you ever been...in a Turkish prison?
LOL ... Pee Wee ... (Score:4, Funny)
LOL, I thought for a moment we were having an interview with Pee Wee Herman/Paul Reubens.
Do you get tired of that? :-P
Re: (Score:2)
Why do you think anyone wants to watch powerpoint slides?
FTFY
Re: (Score:2)
Re: (Score:2)
I assumed you were joking until I looked it up.
Nothing spices up a good security discussion like some Jesus on the side.
mmmmmmm, superstition.
Re: (Score:1)
I thought you were trolling.
I checked it out.
Hoooooooooooooooooly shiiiiiiiiiiit.
here's my question for the little brat: Do you ever do the potty dance when presenting your dad's work to a group of idiots?
Robots (Score:3)
What's your favorite Pokemon? (Score:4)
OK, so since it seems no one else knows who RAPstar or Mano Paul is either, let's go with this dumb question: what's your favorite Pokemon?
Actually, I think I can turn this into something vaguely on topic since someone managed to do a TAS of Pokemon Yellow that manages to run arbitrary code, ultimately calculating pi to several digits [tasvideos.org].
So have you ever found an exploit in a game or something and used it to your advantage? Or what's the coolest, unintentional behavior you've done with a computer program?
One Thing About Kids (Score:1)
They start with a blank slate and don't accept that things can't be done and as a result, find solutions adults thought couldn't exist. Preconceived notions and the unwillingness to part with them are one of the biggest stumbling blocks to learning and progress.
Re: (Score:3, Interesting)
Amen.
Walked into the living room one day to see my 3 year old running a program on the windows log in screen! I've since looked it up, and it's possible. So much for my preconceptions.
Re: (Score:1)
possible? yes. Did your 3 year old that that? No, you're full of shit.
Pee-Wee Herman? (Score:2)
Security? (Score:5, Interesting)
Is security what you find most interesting in computing, or is there another area that interests you more? If security is what interests you most, what is it about security in particular you like?
I ask because it seems natural (as someone who was your age in the 1970s) that young people would either be interested in development programming (as I was) or games (which I sort of was).
(My apologies if you answered this in your talk, which I'm only just getting around to watching.)
What security problems do you notice? (Score:1)
Do you see lax security at school, for instance? When I was your age, Matthew Broderick was in two movies that taught me all I knew at the time about computer security. OK, so they're fictional, but have some interesting doses social engineering of a few different kinds:
- Ferris Bueller (how to bluff your way into a restaurant, for one thing), and, of course,
- War Games (weak password, in a known place, let David Lightman give himself As on the school's computerized grading system, and then various other st
What do you do with clueless grownups? (Score:4, Interesting)
Have you ever one-upped an adult who condescended to you or greatly underestimated your technical understanding? What happened?
Bullying? (Score:4, Interesting)
Have you ever been bullied by people your age and, if so, how did you deal with it? (If you don't mind, please share what the matter was.)
US Government surveillance (Score:4, Interesting)
What are your thoughts about the US government's efforts (apocryphal and confirmed) to surveil nearly all Internet systems and traffic and how such efforts affect security?
Kids will be kids (Score:4, Interesting)
The whole domain of computer security is very serious and, well, I'm also wondering what kinds of things do you like to do that's just kid stuff that's not directly related to computing? You know, like riding a bicycle, going on hikes, playing tag (not trying to patronize as these are things I did when I was 8).
(This is the last question I will post in this thread. Thanks for considering.)
Why aren't more kids interested? (Or are they?) (Score:1)
Not necessarily in Information Security, but why aren't more kids at your age interested in actually learning about how things work in the world around them? Or, to put it more positively, perhaps, what got *you* interested at such a young age, and how did you first start?
When I have kids, I'd like them to be smart but more importantly curious, and I'd like to know what factors helped spark this quality in you. Innate? Your parents? Your school?
Feel free to correct me if you think that I'm wrong to say that
Curiosity (Score:3)