Sinister implication of electronic toys

A YOUNG boy has shocked an audience of security experts by casually hacking into their Bluetooth devices to control his electronic toy.

11-year-old Reuben Paul hacked his teddy bear in front of an impressed crowd. Picture: AFP

REUBEN Paul may be only 11 years old, but his technological prowess has wowed industry experts at a technology conference in the Netherlands.

The grade six student shocked an audience of security experts when he casually hacked into their Bluetooth devices to “weaponise” his robotic teddy bear.

His electronic bear, named Bob, is connected to the cloud via Wi-Fi and Bluetooth, and can send and receive messages.

The youngster used a small credit card-sized computer known as a “Raspberry Pi” to scan the hall for Bluetooth devices and download dozens of phone numbers.

Then, using one of the numbers, he hacked into his bear using the Python coding language and turned on Bob’s lights and recorded audio from the crowd.

Reuben Paul hacking his bear on stage at #NLcyber: cute and scary at the same time. @ncsc_nl pic.twitter.com/eQBJMwsUre

— Joost vander Vleuten (@BruJoost) May 16, 2017

.@RAPst4r Reuben Paul youngest keynote speaker ever in the history of the One Conference introduces us to symb-IoT-ic security #NLCyber

— NCSC-NL (@ncsc_nl) May 16, 2017

“IOT (Internet of Things) home appliances, things that can be used in our everyday lives, our cars, lights refrigerators, everything like this that is connected can be used and weaponised to spy on us or harm us,” he later explained to AFP.

His father, Mano Paul, told the agency he has always been surprised by his son’s ability, and said he became concerned when Reuben easily hacked a toy car.

“It means that my kids are playing with timebombs, that over time somebody who is bad or malicious can exploit.”

Electronic toys can be used to steal private information such as passwords, use GPS to pinpoint a person’s location, or spy on children by recording audio and video.

Reuben later tweeted: “It was fun but I hope people did not miss the message — secure IoT before the Internet of Toys becomes and Internet of Threats”.

If the experts in the room are anything go by, he’s got a bright future ahead.

This kid is live hacking his toy. And all the important people in this room too. Go for it @RAPst4r!#NLCyber pic.twitter.com/I2AHTkmdXK

— Patrick Borsoi (@PatrickBorsoi) May 16, 2017

11 year old (no, really!) @RAPst4r giving an awesome keynote on IoT at #NLCyber pic.twitter.com/x69iRjrGSr

— Maxim Deweerdt (@AlfaSec) May 16, 2017

11 year old @RAPst4r about Symb-IoT-ic Security at ONE conference to the point and funny. #NLCyber. I repeat 11 !!. Hacking live on stage! pic.twitter.com/Ps0i5ZugQh

— Erik Huizer (@Milkshake) May 16, 2017

What to do when you're 11 years old? Hack your bear!
Respect @RAPst4r

#NLCyber pic.twitter.com/AeOBJ9gF0m

— Sebastian Dinjens (@sdinjens) May 16, 2017

Watched @RAPst4r knock socks off the @ncsc_nl crowd in his Keynote at ONE at The Hague - incl hacking an Internet of Toys bear #ncsc2017

— ♘ Josh Corman (@joshcorman) May 16, 2017