With almost a decade at Allstate, Communications Manager, Barbara I., has focused on technology communications, with much of that time spent on cybersecurity. Today, she’s part of a team that supports Allstate’s Chief Information Security Officer as well as enterprise cybersecurity awareness. That’s a particularly big job this time of year, with October marking Cybersecurity Awareness Month. 

We chatted with Barbara to learn more about what Allstate has planned for Cyber Security Awareness Month.  

What’s planned for Cybersecurity Awareness Month this year?

One of the biggest threats to our organization is phishing. We’re offering two events in our week called Fight the Phish. Allstaters can sign up as a team for a Ninjio viewing party. A cybersecurity leader will take them through two 3-minute Ninjio videos. Then they’ll ask the team to work together on a cybersecurity commitment, a simple action plan. The other opportunity is the cybersecurity escape room. It’s about a 30-minute exercise, very collaborative. It really helps with team building and engagement.

Week three’s event is Bring Your Parent to Work Day. We’re having a one-hour session of our Cybersecurity for Older Adults program on Thursday, October 21 at 9:00 a.m., and we’re encouraging every Allstater to bring a parent, grandparent, aunt, neighbor – any older adult in their life. It’s cybersecurity 101 and teaches the basics in a very digestible way from how to create secure passwords to avoiding common phishing or smishing attempts. This event is also opened to the public, to register visit here. 

In week four, we’re bringing back our popular lightning talks. It’s one hour, and we have about 10 cybersecurity experts who are going to talk for three minutes each and give Allstaters their main tip for staying secure – in areas that everybody deals with every day. 

How does your team stay connected in this virtual work environment?

​​​​​​​In some ways, with my immediate team, this hasn’t been a big departure. Three of my team members are in Northern Ireland, one is in North Carolina and one is in the Chicago area. So, we’ve always been a virtual team. We’ve always worked well together that way. I think the key to our success, honestly, is a real common bond and goal. Everybody on my team really feels on a mission to help people be more secure, so they’re very driven. I’m fortunate in that. 

Ready to join Allstate? Check out our open roles!  

Want to get involved?  

Join Cybersecurity Awareness Month this October at Allstate! Protect yourself against phishing scams, cyber fraud and identity theft by joining this Allstate Cyber Safety for Older Adults session. Learn how to create secure passwords, check privacy settings, avoid common phishing or smishing attempts and navigate the internet securely. This lively, interactive one-hour Zoom call will enlighten adults of all ages and questions are welcome. 

Event Date: Thursday, October 21, 2021 

Time: 9:00 a.m. to 10:00 a.m. CT 

Register here: https://allstate.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_o1-ovj6VSh2-X88zbBuf3g