Every educational institution faces 4,484 cyberattacks per week in 2025 which accounts for a 70% year-over-year increase. Education has become the #1 most targeted sector for ransomware attacks. This isn’t hype or fake news, it’s our new reality. Our children's digital identities are colliding with their physical ones, yet they have zero formal training to navigate this dangerous landscape which can include identity theft, blackmail and even human trafficking.

Children are particularly vulnerable to identity theft because they often share personal information freely online without understanding the risks. Cybercriminals can use stolen personal data like full names, birthdates, addresses, and Social Security numbers to open fraudulent accounts or commit other financial crimes. Children's clean credit histories make their identities especially valuable to criminals.

Traffickers and predators use social media platforms, gaming sites, and messaging apps to identify, groom, and recruit vulnerable children. They often pose as peers or romantic interests, gradually building trust before attempting to meet in person or coerce children into exploitative situations. Gaming platforms and social media are common hunting grounds for these criminals.

Children may be manipulated into sharing compromising photos or engaging in inappropriate video calls, which criminals then use as leverage for blackmail. These predators threaten to share the content with friends, family, or schools unless the child complies with further demands, creating a cycle of exploitation and psychological harm.

 Digital platforms can amplify bullying behaviors, allowing harassment to follow children home and continue 24/7. This includes threats, spreading rumors, sharing embarrassing content, or coordinated attacks by multiple users, which can lead to severe emotional distress, depression, and in extreme cases, self-harm.

Children can accidentally or intentionally encounter violent, sexual, or otherwise age-inappropriate material online. This includes graphic images, disturbing videos, hate speech, and content promoting dangerous behaviors like self-harm, eating disorders, or substance abuse.

Many online platforms and apps collect extensive personal data from children, often without proper consent or understanding. This information can be sold to third parties, used for targeted advertising, or potentially accessed by malicious actors, creating long-term privacy and security risks.

MASK NextGen is an AI-driven, gamified digital safety platform that transforms cybersecurity education from a checkbox exercise into an engaging daily habit. Through our Marvel-like cyber guardian character Myra, students aged 8-18 learn to recognize threats, set boundaries, and protect themselves online in just 10 minutes a day. Think of it as installing a mental security system in every child.

With over 14,000 K-12 school districts in the US alone (not counting individual schools or students), plus global expansion potential, MASK addresses a massive, underserved market. The federal government has recognized this crisis by creating a cybersecurity pilot program = unlocking funding for schools. This isn't just a US opportunity. It's a global imperative with a self-replenishing customer base every year.

Our beta results speak volumes:

• 90%+ student engagement rate (far exceeding expectations)
• California pilot district immediately expanding district-wide
• One of the largest US school districts (millions of students) planning full rollout
• Nevada State School Board seeking immediate implementation
• Parents reporting "aha moments" about threats they didn't know existed

  

• TriVigil Partnership: Leverages existing relationships with K-12 advisory councils, e-rate partnerships, and higher education networks
• AI-Powered Personalization: Content adapts to each student's age, interests, and problem-solving style
• Multi-Source Content: Aggregates expertise from NCMEC, Common Sense Media, anti-bullying experts, and more
• Real-Time Evolution: LLM backend allows instant content updates as new threats emerge

  

• Federal funding now available through cybersecurity pilot programs
• Post-pandemic device adoption has accelerated digital exposure
• AI emergence creating new, sophisticated threats daily
• Schools desperate for solutions after high-profile attacks
• Parents exhausted from trying to police their children's devices