The HackWard Toolkit

Article written by: Rishi Ramachandran

Article designed by: Rishi Ramachandran & Palak Tiwari

With an estimated 600 million cyberattacks daily, it is more important than ever to give people the tools they need to stay safe online. Today, we will highlight one of these tools that was created to make cybersecurity more practical and accessible for everyone. This blog is part of a collaboration between CyberForYouth and Hackward, created to highlight the Hackward Toolkit — a digital safety guide packed with information, tools, and resources designed for beginners. The Hackward Toolkit was developed by Pranav, a high school senior with the goal of empowering individuals, students, and organizations to strengthen their digital safety in simple, actionable ways. By teaming up, CyberForYouth and Hackward aim to spread these resources further and ensure more young people and their parents can benefit from this toolkit.

The Hackward Toolkit contains essential information on :

• How Online Scams Work: Simple, non-technical explanation of common online scams and threats.

• Practical Tools & Advice: Step-by-step actions to protect devices, accounts, and personal info.

• Real Scams, Real Lessons: Examples of real scams and how people successfully (or should have) stopped them.

One notable chapter in his guide is Chapter 3: Threats No One Mentions. This chapter highlights some of the most dangerous online attacks that often go overlooked. For example, he discusses deepfake scams, which are AI-generated voices or videos pretending to be loved ones in emergencies. These scams have been on the rise recently, with $200 million in financial losses last year, which makes Pranav’s information even more important. He also provides practical tips to protect yourself, such as setting a family code word, questioning emotional urgency, and being cautious with video content you post publicly. 

The best part is that everything in the toolkit is customizable, so teachers, small teams, or even individuals can adapt the toolkit for their own needs. The Hackward Toolkit embodies CyberForYouth’s mission perfectly by giving children the knowledge and tools they need to protect themselves in the digital world. Together, we are leading the future generation into a safer online world where smart digital habits become second nature.

“In an increasingly technology reliant world, digital safety is becoming more important than ever:  especially with the rise of AI making phishing scams and data thefts harder to spot. That’s what inspired me to make the Cybersecurity Survival Toolkit. I wanted to ensure that people of all ages and technical backgrounds, especially students, can educate themselves and stay up to date in this constantly evolving landscape. My goal is simple: help people feel safer, smarter, and more confident online. I want people to understand that even small actions can make a big difference in protecting themselves and their communities. And the best way I can contribute to this change is by sharing this knowledge with the people around me. ” – creator of Hackward, Pranav Varshan Chandrasekaran Rekha

Access the HackWard Toolkit today! 

Works Cited

Abdullahi, AA Aminu. “AI Deepfake Scams Surge: Over $200 Million Lost in Just Three Months.” eSecurity Planet, 23 June 2025, www.esecurityplanet.com/news/ai-deepfakes-surge-200-million-lost/

“Microsoft Digital Defense Report: 600 Million Cyberattacks per Day around the Globe.” Microsoft News, 29 Nov. 2024, news.microsoft.com/en-cee/2024/11/29/microsoft-digital-defense-report-600-million-cyberattacks-per-day-around-the-globe/.

"Deepfake Detection and Prevention." Synovus Insights, 20 Aug. 2024