Real-World Cyberbullying Case at an Australian School, Highlights Urgent Need for External Threat Response in Schools

MELBOURNE, Australia, July 1, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Potech, a global cybersecurity solutions provider, teamed up with Intelus, its partner in Australia, to showcase its external threat detection and takedown platform, Darkivore, at Edunet 2025. The event, focused on technology in education, brought together school leaders, IT managers, and educators from public and private schools across Victoria.

Edunet highlighted increasing challenges facing educational institutions, particularly around cyberbullying, impersonation, and external threats that evade traditional school IT systems. Potech's Darkivore drew interest from schools seeking greater visibility into their external digital exposure and a more effective way to protect their communities online.

A recent incident in an Australian school illustrated the real impact of digital threats. What began as student-made TikTok videos impersonating teachers and classmates escalated into targeted harassment. Fake accounts appeared across multiple platforms, spreading false information, doctored images, and leaked private messages. Posts were widely shared by individuals outside the school community, compounding the harm.

A teacher discovered a fake profile impersonating them, posting inappropriate comments. A student's private messages were exposed online. As the school's internal reporting processes struggled to respond, it turned to Potech's Darkivore to identify, track, and report the impersonation accounts and malicious content.

Darkivore took down most of the harmful content within hours. While the psychological toll on victims was significant, swift action prevented further escalation. Full story: https://potechglobal.medium.com/australia-in-focus-b10e54281c28 

The case underscored a central concern discussed at Edunet: schools need tools that extend protection beyond their internal, managed environments. 

"Schools face growing threats like impersonation, cyberbullying, and unauthorized content, and the response must be fast and precise. With the right tools in place, schools can act quickly and stay ahead of these risks", stated Matthew Gordon, Edunet Managing Director.

"Cyberthreats impacting schools often originate from public platforms and can spread quickly," said Bassam Khoreich, Potech Australia Managing Partner. "Darkivore gives schools the capability to detect, assess, and act on these threats in real time."

About Potech

Potech is a global leader in information & technology and cybersecurity solutions, offering innovative services and products that help organizations safeguard their digital assets.

Darkivore by Potech is a DRP and CTI platform designed to proactively protect organizations from external digital threats and vulnerabilities.

Learn more: www.potech.global/darkivore

Contact: [email protected]