A man types on a computer keyboard in Warsaw in this February 28, 2013 illustration file picture. Photo: REUTERS/Kacper Pempel/File Photo.

A legendary Israeli cyber-spy whose name has remained a secret for years is set to receive a lifetime achievement award from Israel’s President Reuven Rivlin.

According to Israeli news website N12, the agent, referred to only as “A,” is a mastermind in the field of cyber espionage, and a unique figure in Israel’s spy agency the Mossad.

A, the report says, is in his forties, has several children, and chose to work for the intelligence service over a lucrative career in the high-tech industry.

Speaking anonymously, someone who knows him told N12 that A is “a genius whose reputation precedes him.”

A, the source added, is “known in our and the American intelligence community as a phenomenon in the cyber field. A not insignificant part of our work was created by him personally due to his special talent.”

He added that A has “trained generations” of agents in cyber-espionage and cyber-security.

The announcement granting A the lifetime achievement award stated that the prize was for his “contribution over many years to national security and for initiating many technological solutions, while displaying unusual talent, creativity, curiosity, and daring.”

The award will be presented this September by President Rivlin at the Israel Defense Prize ceremonies, which honor those who have made outstanding contributions to Israel’s defense capabilities.

Israeli Defense Minister Benny Gantz has already informed the recipients of their awards, and stated, “I am proud of the human capital we have in the defense establishment, security organizations, and defense industries that prove time and time again that we have and will have no limits in the war for Israel’s security.”

“Precisely because the winners’ work is done in secret, I am especially proud to give them recognition on behalf of all Israel’s citizens for their tremendous efforts, investment, and labor, and for their contribution to the resilience of Israeli society,” Gantz added.