In today’s hyperconnected world, cybercrime is no longer a distant threat, it’s a daily reality. In 2024 alone, global cybercrime losses exceeded $12 trillion (Cybersecurity Ventures), with phishing, identity theft, and social engineering scams among the most common attacks (FBI IC3 2023 Report). Alarmingly, children and seniors are among the most frequent victims.
Studies show that 1 in 3 children encounters online risks such as cyberbullying or exploitation (UNICEF Report), while over 70% of scams targeting older adults go unreported due to shame or lack of digital literacy (AARP Cybercrime Study).
A movement fueled by volunteers
Recognizing this vulnerability, Acronis goes far beyond software solutions. Through the Acronis Cyber Foundation Program, employees volunteer in schools, community centers, and care facilities around the world to teach essential digital safety skills.
This movement began in 2023 with one enthusiastic employee who offered to lead cyber safety classes in her hometown. Inspired by her initiative, many more Acronis employees followed. Since then, 77 cyber safety workshops have been conducted in 8 countries — Brazil, Bulgaria, India, Italy, Japan, Romania, Serbia, and Singapore — reaching over 2,500 children.
“It all started with a simple idea — I wanted to give back to my community by using the cybersecurity knowledge I had. I never imagined how many of my colleagues around the world would join this mission. Seeing our workshops grow from one small classroom to an international movement has been incredibly rewarding. It proves that when you combine expertise with heart, you can make a real impact.” — Silvia Filip, Europe End Customer Acquisition Manager, Acronis.
Workshops are delivered by people from all corners of the company — from software engineers to senior executives — because this mission is not only professional, but deeply personal.
Antoaneta Simeonova-Parvanova, eCommerce Manager, Hristo Todorov, Lead Professional Services Specialist, Mihaela Angelova, Office Manager, Nikolay Bekirov, Lead Software Developer, and Victor Baramov, Senior Web Project Manager, at schools 134 “Dimcho Debelyanov”, High School 81 “Victor Hugo” and NSOU Sofia in Sofia, Bulgaria.
Bianca Ceocea, Account Manager, Mihaela Pantea–Contescu, Talent Acquisition Lead, Oana Petrila, Partner Success Manager, Silvia Filip, Europe End Customer Acquisition Manager, and Sterian Sterghiuli, Support Specialist at Alexandru Odobescu Secondary School in Chiajna, I. A. Bassarabescu school in Ploiesti, BP HASDEU school in Campina, and National College “Ion Neculce” of the National Banking Institute in Bucharest, Romania.
Masaki Goto, Senior Solutions Engineer, and Minami Ino, Senior Cloud Services Advisor, Japan
“Spending time with these bright young minds was truly inspiring. At Acronis, we believe cybersecurity education should start early — not just to protect the next generation, but to empower it. Together, we’re building a safer, smarter digital future.” — Nick Grebennikov, Chief Development Officer, Acronis.
Nick Grebennikov delivering a workshop for students of 2nd High School “Acad. Emiliyan Stanev” in Sofia, Bulgaria
Cyber safety for seniors
But not only children are easy targets for scammers — seniors are too. According to the European Commission, over 60% of internet fraud victims aged 65+ reported losses from phishing or fake tech support (European Commission Digital Decade Report 2023).
Recognizing this growing threat, in 2024 Acronis Romania joined forces with the Romanian Institute for Active Aging Association. So far, they have hosted four workshops in Craiova, Brăila, and Bucharest, reaching over 500 participants, with the campaign set to continue through 2025. These workshops provided practical, personalized guidance, allowing participants to share real scam experiences and learn simple ways to secure their digital lives.
Much like the workshops for kids, this initiative was warmly welcomed. Teams from other regions are now preparing a series of cyber awareness events for older adults, expanding the program from Bulgaria to Canada.
Partnering for greater impact
Acronis amplifies its mission through strong collaborations with local organizations. In Romania, for instance, Neoteck Grup co-hosted a workshop for students of school 194 in Bucharest with Acronis:
“We see that young people very often fall victim to internet scammers. Collaborating with Acronis gave me the opportunity to help bridge some of these gaps and truly understand the real needs of children in cyber safety education. Thank you, Acronis, for this important work.” — Mihai Cretu, CTO, Neoteck Grup.
Mihai Cretu, CTO at Neoteck Grup, and Silvia Filip, Europe End Customer Acquisition Manager at Acronis, delivering a class at school 194 in Bucharest, Romania
Cyber safety is a shared responsibility
Acronis believes that cyber safety education should be accessible to all. That’s why it offers its educational materials as open-source content, freely available to educators, NGOs, and companies. This initiative enables anyone, anywhere, to run their own workshop and become a local digital safety champion. These sessions are not lectures — they are interactive, age-tailored, and gamified to keep participants engaged and learning effectively.
See our volunteers in action and join the mission yourself. Download our free educational content for kids, along with step-by-step instructions and practical tips to become a cyber safety champion in your community. For localized materials or assistance in organizing a session, contact us at foundation@acronis.org.
