9-year-old CEO warns crowd of phone hacker dangers

AUSTIN, Texas - So how easy is it for someone to hack into your smartphones and everyday devices?

A nine-year old can do it. He even offered to demonstrate on Friday.

Meet Reuben Paul. The Harmony School of Science third-grader has accomplished more in nine years than some adults accomplish in a lifetime.

"He's pretty well known in the computer security industry, you know, I think if you track computer security in general, people are going to know about Reuben, he's been a keynote at a number of other conferences, so he definitely has the chops, " said Richard Stephens, Organizer of "Security B-sides" Conference.

Friday, he was the keynote speaker at the conference at the Wingate in Round Rock. The conference aims to make everyone more aware of hackers.

"We're looking to promote cyber security, promote computer security, to a younger generation," said Stephens.

Reuben showed guests the few steps it takes to hack into an Android phone, from an effort to download what looks to be a "real" game.

After taking a quick break he was right back at it. The crowd couldn't believe how easy he made the task look simple. His parents say they knew at the tender age of five , his child was special.

"He'd use the words like "firewall" and things like that and repeat them back to me. First I was totally surprised. I didn't realize a kid would be able to understand and pick up those things," said Mano Paul, Reuben's dad.

At about 15 minutes into the demo , Reuben accomplished his hacking goal.

"Once I got that on, I did a webcam stream, I dumped their contacts, I dumped their call logs, and messages, and I also located where they were."

If that's not scary enough, Reuben says he wants everyone to know, this can happen anywhere, to anyone, at any given time.

"If a child can do it then a regular hacker can do it, which it'll super easy for a regular hacker to do it, so I just want everybody to be aware that be more careful when you download games and stuff like that," said Reuben Paul, CEO of Prudent Games.

The crowd took the opportunity to soak in a few of Reuben's tricks, but overall, the security message.

"He's doing things that other 30-year-olds in the industry you know wouldn't be able to do," said Stephens.

Reuben is also youngest person to have received the Shaolin Do Kung Fu Black Belt in America.