SAMASTIPUR/NEW YORK (TIP) : A teenager from a small village in Bihar, India has captured international attention with his remarkable talent in cybersecurity. Ram Jee Raj, a 17-year-old ethical hacker from Pahepur, near Samastipur, recently discovered a major vulnerability on the official website of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) and has since been inducted into NASA’s Cyber Security Hall of Fame, reports local media channel.
Despite having no formal training, Raj is a self-taught cybersecurity enthusiast who learned coding, game development, and web development by watching online tutorials and reading on his own. His interest in technology was sparked during childhood through video games, which gradually evolved into a deeper passion for understanding software, systems—and eventually, ethical hacking.
According to reports, Raj uncovered a serious flaw in NASA’s website and responsibly reported the issue by emailing the agency with technical details and a suggested fix. Five days later, NASA confirmed the vulnerability, took corrective action, and sent Raj an official acknowledgment and commendation.
His accomplishment is even more inspiring given his background. Raj is the son of Rinkesh Kumar, a resident of Pahepur. He is also currently working on a startup focused on using AI to revolutionize farming—an innovation he hopes will benefit India’s agricultural communities.
“I consider myself a white-hat hacker,” Raj has said in interviews, referring to ethical hackers who help organizations improve security. His success story is already inspiring other young Indians, especially those from rural areas, to explore careers in technology.