Calls to boost and protect Canadian online sovereignty, cybersecurity, and digital resilience are increasing in the face of on-going political and economic uncertainty. And many calls are coming from the IT department.
Concerns about technology supply chains, about the country of origin for IT products and services, even about commercial interactions with U.S.-based tech vendors, are growing here due to current political and economic decisions and developments.
More than two-thirds of Canadian companies are now prioritizing digital sovereignty over price considerations when selecting cybersecurity vendors. More than 80 per cent say the country of origin for an IT or cybersecurity vendor is more important now than even a year ago.
That’s all put a renewed emphasis on finding good Canadian cybersecurity supports and solutions for companies with a consumer-facing online presence and organizations with a crucial IT infrastructure – in other words, just about all companies, businesses, and organizations operating in this country.
The many concerns about political uncertainties impacting Canada overall, and its IT and digital technology sectors in particular, were revealed and discussed in a national survey recently conducted by CIRA, the Canadian Internet Registration Authority.
Byron Holland, CIRA President and CEO since 2008, is an Internet governance expert and experienced entrepreneur. CIRA image.
CIRA is the member-based, not-for-profit organization that manages the country’s .CA registry of websites and other online entities; it was mandated to do so back in 1999. A recognized Internet governance expert and experienced entrepreneur leads the organization: Byron Holland has been President and CEO since 2008.
CIRA has long provided an array of products, programs, and services to boost cybersecurity and online resilience for individuals, companies, and businesses of all shapes and sizes to use in protecting their online presence.
The organization offers cybersecurity consultation, advice, and training across the country, and its cybersecurity tools are used — whether individually, based on specific needs, or now more broadly as part of an integrated portfolio of cybersecurity protection — by individuals, businesses, and institutions across the country.
As well, CIRA just announced an exciting new partnership which will help Canadian companies further secure their online identity. Brand TLDs, or branded top level domains, will soon be available; they’re the name or online address of a website with a particular country code identifier that gives users a globally recognizable presence online.
Earlier this month, CIRA launched its CIRA Cyber Stack, calling it a complete portfolio of cybersecurity solutions and tools to help organizations build digital resilience.
Under one name, Cyber Stack consolidates CIRA’s popular existing services, including Anycast DNS, DNS Firewall, the XDR analytic tool, and Cybersecurity Awareness Training.
“CIRA Cyber Stack is more than a new name — it’s a commitment to provide Canadian-built, world-class cybersecurity solutions that organizations can rely on,” said Jon Ferguson, CIRA’s Vice-president, Cybersecurity and DNS, when the security suite was unveiled. “By unifying our products, we’re making it easier for businesses to protect themselves while strengthening their overall resilience and giving them the confidence to face tomorrow’s threats.”
With CIRA DNS Firewall, one part of the suite, websites that have embedded malicious software or engage in phishing are blocked at the DNS layer, meaning no connection is even established with the suspect website or web application.
CIRA Anycast DNS is a like a routing service, allowing a user’s DNS inquiry (like a customer’s click to visit and connect to a company website) to be sent to the nearest, fastest server so a quick and reliable connection can be made. Users of the service have a 100 per cent uptime service level agreement; CIRA networking, DNS, and cybersecurity teams manage and monitor the service round-the-clock.
As well, CIRA provides cybersecurity awareness training for those working alone or on a team in an IT environment. CIRA says cybersecurity is only as good as the staff using it, and that the most important part of a layered security stack are people; they will act as a human firewall with proper awareness and training.
As part of its new Cyber Stack (products are available individually or in the integrated package) cybersecurity solution, CIRA has also unveiled and is including what it calls CIRA XDR, a cybersecurity threat detection and response solution tailored specifically for Canadian organizations, giving them even more tools to protect their online selves.
CIRA XDR uses advanced analytics to address potential cybersecurity threats an organization might face. CIRA image.
CIRA XDR uses advanced analytics to address potential cybersecurity threats an organization might face across its different security domains — including cloud applications, email platforms and data stores, network endpoints, and valid user identities.
Presented on a unified dashboard with data security and management tools nearby, XDR analyzes threats to a company website or IT infrastructure, it reduces false positives and identifies real threats, it automates necessary responses and defence capabilities.
Hosted in Canada, XDR ensures organizational data remains in the country. Making Canada’s cybersecurity posture stronger has always been a key consideration at CIRA, and it is recognized for its efforts. One major organizational customer describes the services as crucial because all CIRA infrastructure is hosted in Canada, and CIRA’s commitment to comply with all relevant Canadian data laws and data sovereignty regulations aligns with its own corporate mandates and pledges.
XDR, part of the CIRA’s Cyber Stack security portfolio but available separately, was introduced by CIRA at an event held as part of the recent SecTor security conference in Toronto; CIRA hosted Canadians Connected, a gathering of business owners, tech experts, and others who want to “help navigate the new cyber landscape in Canada.”
Issues of cybersecurity, crypto validity, web piracy, AI and tech energy requirements were all discussed, and ideas about building a stronger Internet, a stronger liberal democracy, a stronger Canada, were shared by attendees and guest panellists alike. That’s all is seen as part of CIRA’s mandate, to advocate for and help build an open, accessible online environment in which Canada plays a strong and leading role.
CIRA also actively encourages Canadian brand owners to take control of their digital identity, and it supports Canadian brands with data and infrastructure in Canada.
Now, with its new partnership, CIRA will actively support Canadian organizations that want to get their own Brand TLD, or top level domain.
CIRA actively encourages Canadian brand owners to take control of their digital identity, and it supports Canadian brands with data and infrastructure in Canada. CIRA image.
The advantages for companies the transition from a traditional domain to a more secure, branded TLDs are seen as a big boost for digital trust and engagement.
Companies can create shorter and easier- to-remember Internet addresses, helping build brand awareness among consumers so they can more easily get information regarding the company’s products and services.
A Brand TLD lets owners more closely control and enhance their company’s web presence with second level domains for disparate products and services
Assigned and validated by ICANN, the global Internet authority, TLDs are available by application, in specific rounds or time periods.
The next one is expected in April 2026; CIRA and its new partner, AuthenticWeb.com, say that will be a once-in-a-decade chance for Canadian brands to strengthen their digital presence.
Owning a proprietary and brand authentic name space is the best way to build consumer trust, and to automate DNS network security, the partners describe.
AuthenticWeb.com, a DNS security and Brand TLD advisor, entered into the strategic partnership with CIRA to combine their expertise in registry operations, DNS security, and ICANN policy, and to provide direct support to Canadian organizations seeking to secure their own Brand TLDs in the upcoming application round.
It’s the first such round of TLD assignments since 2012; more than a thousand new domains with specific geographic, industry, and brand identities were launched in that last round.
Based on the results of its recent survey (conducted in July and August of this year, with more than 500 corporate and IT decision-making participating), CIRA will get quite a response to its call to Canadianize our online experience and identity this time.
With more than 40 per cent of respondents saying they’ve experienced a cyber attack on the past 12 months (and some 70 per cent of them say data was lost or exfiltrated), Canadian businesses are certainly familiar with the risks of their online presence.
But through its training programs, cyber services, security tools, and now even domain registration and brand consultation services for Canadian companies of all shapes and sizes, CIRA wants us to be even more familiar with the rewards of a safe and secure online environment, one that’s built in and runs from a safe and secure country.
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