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Cira, New Solutions to a More Secure, Trusted and Accessible Internet for All Canadians

The Canadian Internet Registration Authority (CIRA) has managed the top-level domain .CA for Canadians for over 20 (twenty) years. CIRA also strives to build a trusted Internet through the development of cybersecurity technologies and services. Jacques Latour, CIRA’s Director of Technology and Security, discusses the organization’s key services and assets in this pandemic era, where cybersecurity is of utmost importance.

In-Sec-M: Since its creation in 1987 and its incorporation in 1998, CIRA has evolved and developed services related to Internet security. Why?

Early on we realized that the DNS was a key factor in many cyberattacks. The only way to prevent some incidents was to secure it. After many years of maintaining a secure DNS, we decided to use our technical expertise to develop innovative, Canadian-based solutions to share with other organizations in need.

In-Sec- M: What cybersecurity services do you offer?

Our cybersecurity products and services focus on:

  • DNS Firewall: protection against malware and phishing attacks for small and medium-sized Canadian businesses;
  • Anycast DNS: a worldwide secondary anycast DNS service. This infrastructure improves performance, increases resiliency and helps protect against DDoS attacks;
  • Canadian Shield: an entirely free public DNS developed and hosted in Canada that protects Canadians and their personal devices from malware and phishing attempts, thereby reducing the risk of online theft and fraud;
  • Online Cybersecurity Training: phishing simulation, risk assessment, and a fun and educational approach to empower organizations and raise awareness.

Also, we have created CIRA Labs, an innovation centre that works on the development of new technologies. Its purpose: help increase the security and resilience of the Internet, but also limit cyberattacks, support new network, data and security standards around the world.

In-Sec-M: Why did you join In-Sec-M? 

It was a very natural partnership for CIRA. We believe that in order to succeed in our mission to build a better Canada online, we need to collaborate with all the players in the cybersecurity industry. It’s also a matter of being able to share our expertise and provide best practices for all aspects of the DNS.

In-Sec-M: What can In-Sec-M bring to the table?

We want to reach different audiences, already connected with In-Sec-M, who are looking for new solutions and new partners for their digital transformation. We hope that the projects we are working on together will, in the long run, have a significant impact on these individuals and organizations. Our collaboration will help them strengthen their defences and make them more resilient in the face of cybersecurity challenges.