Cyber Safety Reloaded! Students experience cybersecurity like never before

The DL & AAA Team, part of the STI Hub Mizoram project, successfully delivered Session 3 on Cybersecurity at two schools last week. The session was conducted at Hrangchhuana High School on Wednesday, 19th November, followed by KVM High School on Friday, 21st November.

A total of 29 students from Hrangchhuana High School and 95 students from KVM High School participated in the programme.

Key Topics Covered

The presentation focused on essential principles of staying safe online, including:

• Online safety and responsible digital behaviour
• Password hygiene and two-factor authentication
• Cyberbullying
• Phishing threats
• Addiction to Online Gaming
• Safe use of social media and its management
• Identity Theft
• Cyber Trafficking

Students were guided not only on how cyber risks occur, but also on practical ways to avoid exposure to harmful content, protect personal data, and interact responsibly on digital platforms. Real life examples from India were narrated to drive home the point on various issues.

New Enhancements Introduced in This Year’s Cybersecurity Sessions

To make the learning more realistic and impactful, two interactive elements have been added for the first time this year:

1. Live Global Cyber Threats

Using online threat-mapping platforms such as Bitdefender Threat Map and Kaspersky Cybermap, students witnessed real-time visualisation of cyberattacks happening across the world.
These live maps helped students understand:

• The scale and speed of global cyberattacks
• How frequently devices and systems are targeted
• Why cybersecurity awareness is crucial for every internet user

This hands-on demonstration made the topic more relatable and engaging.

2. Fake News & AI Deepfake Awareness

To address the growing challenge of cyber misinformation, students were shown:

• How fake news visuals can be created within seconds using online tools like http://www.BreakYourOwnNews.com
• Examples of AI-generated deepfake videos, demonstrating how faces, voices, and information can be manipulated with near-perfect accuracy

Through these activities, students learned to:

• Think critically before trusting or sharing online content
• Verify digital information from credible sources
• Recognise the risks of identity misuse and fabricated media

Student Participation & Feedback

Both schools saw strong student engagement throughout the session. Learners participated enthusiastically in the Cyber Smart Trivia Quiz, demonstrating impressive recall of cybersecurity concepts introduced during the programme.

To conclude the session on a positive note, refreshments were arranged for all participants, providing an opportunity for informal discussion and reflection.

The DL & AAA Team remains committed to building digitally responsible and cyber-aware young citizens. Session 4 will continue this momentum as we reach more schools in the coming weeks.