National Cybersecurity Awareness Month
Emmanuel Osuyah, MBA, CIC, LUTCF, TRS • October 22, 2018
A man in a suit and tie is holding a tablet with a cyber security icon on it.

October is National Cybersecurity Awareness Month. “NCSAM is a collaborative effort between government and industry to ensure every American has the resources they need to say safer and more secure online.” – dhs.gov

We are doing more on the web today than ever before in human history and there is no plan to slow that down. Cybersecurity is not only for personal computers but even more so for business that contain PII (Personally Identifiable Information).

So this month and the remaining days of 2018, be sure to take some time set up the following for your personal and business computers:

  1. Choose strong and unique passwords
  2. Make sure to set up 2-step password verification
  3. Get a virus scanning software and scan regularly
  4. Update your Operating Systems

The above will minimize your risk NOT  prevent it. To take a more defensive approach, be sure to do these next 4 proactive steps:

  1. Choose a cybersecurity vendor wisely and have them run vulnerability tests on all your access points including websites, credit card terminals and wireless access points
  2. Backup all your computer data and their configurations
  3. Purchase a Cyber liability Insurance Policy which pays ransom, privacy breach penalties and much more with a low deductible
  4. Make sure to have a written Cyber risk mitigation plan. We all will get impacted at some point. Having a plan will help you and your Company survive the attack.

Remember that 60% of small businesses breached are out of business within 6 months. Be prepared. Cyber Masque 1

A woman is sitting at a table using a laptop computer.
By Keith Valdez July 30, 2024
Welcome to our new insurance agency blog! This is our very first post. We're not quite sure what we're going to write about here, but the plan is to create helpful content for customers and prospective clients about information that is relevant to you. We hope you'll come to view this as a top resource for keeping your family and your finances safe. Here are a few of the topics we may be writing about: Answers to clients' frequently asked questions. Helpful information about insurance shopping. Safety and Health Tips and Ideas. Local Community Information. Stay Tuned!
Two men in suits are shaking hands in a room.
By Emmanuel Osuyah, MBA, CIC, LUTCF, TRS July 26, 2022
Guayaquil, Ecuador celebrates its Fundacion de Guayaquil which is Spanish for Guayaquil Founder’s Day. This festival which is carried out with a lot of local pride carries throughout the weekend with parades, fireworks, a federal holiday and lots of festivities. On Friday the 22nd, Laura Santana a native of Guayaquil celebrated the grand opening of her flagship store in Ecuador. This store is the first of many she has planned in her audacious goal of growing into a well recognized brand across South America.
A laptop computer is sitting on top of a wooden desk.
By Emmanuel Osuyah, MBA, CIC, LUTCF, TRS May 15, 2022
Congratulations are in order for our Team at alpha direct agency; once again recognized as a “great place to work.” The company was founded in 2004 with a mission to create a work environment where employees feel inspired and challenged to grow.
There is a small island in the distance on the beach.
By Emmanuel Osuyah, MBA, CIC, LUTCF, TRS April 29, 2022
When it comes to a retreat, nobody does it better than Alpha Direct Agency. This year we introduced the first ever CE Team retreat. The weekend event built around our 8 Customer Experience Team member included food, fun, workshops, sight seeing, travel and other leisure.
A person is using a cell phone while sitting at a table with a cup of coffee.
By Emmanuel Osuyah, MBA, CIC, LUTCF, TRS April 20, 2022
I am an early adopter of technology but for over a decade I couldn’t be convinced that my clients needed another app on their smartphones to reach their agents. I tried to keep an open mind however, I just didn’t find the top reasons for an app compelling.
A woman is typing on a laptop computer while sitting at a table.
By Emmanuel Osuyah, MBA, CIC, LUTCF, TRS February 20, 2022
Hey business owner. You’re running a business; you’re going concern is finally going but suddenly it gets interrupted by an event. An unexpected event like smoke rising up into your clothing store renders all the clothes unsellable at least not unless you foot the ridiculous dry cleaning bill which forces you to change the price tags from new to used. Fire may have started at a business close by but we all know smoke rises.
A person wearing gloves is typing on a laptop computer while holding a credit card.
By Emmanuel Osuyah, MBA, CIC, LUTCF, TRS October 31, 2021
First it was phishing and then smishing. Costco has giveaways that they don’t know about; going to everyone’s phones via SMS. Most of us are smart enough to not click on the smishing text messages. When I got a “locked out” text from my bank it addressed me as Peter which was a dead giveaway, plus I had to click a link to secure my bank. Scam alert!
A man and a woman are sitting at a table using a calculator.
By Emmanuel Osuyah, MBA, CIC, LUTCF, TRS September 23, 2018
After hurricane Florence floods recede, the journey to restoration begins. Typically the cost of building materials are slightly higher after a storm but “home builders and contractors say this administration’s trade policy will add to the price increases that usually follow natural disasters” writes Nelson D. Schwartz in the New York Times.
A security guard is sitting at a desk holding a walkie talkie.
By Emmanuel Osuyah, MBA, CIC, LUTCF, TRS April 12, 2017
When criminals look for a potential victim, they choose the easiest targets. Some simple practices can aid in deterring robberies, such as:
A green and white geometric pattern on a white background.
By Emmanuel Osuyah, MBA, CIC, LUTCF, TRS February 6, 2017
Insurance! Its that thing you wish you had when the unexpected happens by way of loss or damage to your personal property. Policies are typically designed to cover many things while at the same time specific language in the policy excludes coverage for other things. Policies are typically summarized with words, including terminologies that need to be defined in the definition section and of course specific numbers.