CIRA Canadian Shield: Donning your cyber security armour

Canadian households are under attack by cyber criminals, and the Canadian Internet Registration Authority (CIRA) wants to make sure that you and your family are well protected. To help you fight off malware MalwareMalicious software ("malware") designed to infiltrate or damage a computer system, without the owner's consent. Common forms of malware include computer viruses, worms, Trojans, spyware, and adware. It can: • Intimidate you with scareware, which is usually a pop-up message that tells you your computer has a security problem or other false information. • Reformat the hard drive of your computer causing you to lose all your information. • Alter or delete files. • Steal sensitive information. • Send emails on your behalf. • Take control of your computer and all the software running on it. and phishing PhishingAn attempt by a third party to solicit confidential information from an individual, group, or organization by mimicking or spoofing, a specific, usually well-known brand, usually for financial gain.  scams, the organization has developed CIRA Canadian Shield to make sure you’ll never go into battle without a good defense.

Here’s everything you need to know about the free enterprise-grade cybersecurity solution:

What is CIRA Canadian Shield?

CIRA Canadian Shield is a free DNS firewall FirewallA security barrier placed between two networks that controls the amount and kinds of traffic that may pass between the two. This protects local system resources from being accessed from the outside. service that provides online privacy and security to individuals and families across Canada. CIRA does this by using information from the Canadian Centre for Cyber Security (Cyber Centre) to identify malicious websites and then block BlockTo stop a computer from reaching something on the internet, or, on social media, to stop a user from contacting you. them from being accessed. The Cyber Centre identifies around 400 new malicious websites every day, ensuring that CIRA is equipped with the most up-to-date information.

So how does it work?

CIRA Canadian Shield works by blocking malicious domains at the Domain Name Domain nameA name owned by a person or organization and consisting of an alphabetical or alphanumeric sequence followed by a suffix indicating the top-level domain: used as an internet address to identify the location of particular web pages (e.g. .gc, .ca). System (more commonly called a DNS) level. A DNS acts like a translator for your devices between web addresses and their corresponding IP address IP AddressThe IP address uniquely identifies a computer or other hardware device (such as a printer) on the internet. . When you type a web address into your browser Browser(Web browser) A program that allows a user to find, view, hear, and interact with material on the internet, including text, graphics, sound, and video. and hit enter, a DNS translates that text into a numerical IP address, which then connects you to the site.

For example, rather than having to remember 20.151.96.73, a DNS will translate that to www.GetCyberSafe.gc.ca. This makes accessing sites much easier.

Some industry reports estimate that between 80% and 90%  of cyber attacks exploit ExploitA defined way to breach the security of an IT system through a vulnerability. DNS servers, but these attacks can be prevented by configuring DNS settings that filter FilterSoftware that screens information on the internet, classifies its content, and allows the user to block certain kinds of content. your exposure to malicious websites.  

How does a DNS keep you cyber secure?

When DNS operators know about potentially malicious websites, they can prevent you from being directed to them. If you visit a malicious website, you could potentially download DownloadTransmission of data from a remote computer system onto a local computer system. malware and other unwanted software SoftwareA computer program that provides instructions which enable the computer hardware to work. System software, such as Windows, Linux or MacOS, operate the machine itself, and applications software, such as spreadsheet or word processing programs, provide specific functionality. on your devices. An example of another Canadian public DNS operator is easyDNS.

Additionally, CIRA Canadian Shield will not sell your online data to third parties as it operates entirely in Canada under national privacy laws.

Getting started:

To make sure you choose the right level of defense for your business or your household, CIRA offers three levels of DNS service: private, protected and family. Each level has a unique set of cyber accessories that include privacy against third-parties, malware barriers and restrictions on inappropriate content. These variations ensure that your home gets the protection it needs.

Once you decide which protection services are best for you, CIRA suggests viewing their configuration guide for more information on setting up your devices.

CIRA Canadian Shield is accessible on most operating systems, including iOS, Android devices and standard computer systems. Using CIRA Canadian Shield arms your devices, allowing you to protect them against malware from malicious websites.

Don’t leave your data defenseless – guard your devices with CIRA Canadian Shield so you can get cyber safe.

Additional resources:

CIRA home page

Cyber Centre Canadian Shield blog

Cyber Centre publications