How CIRA Canadian Shield works

Configure, Block, Relax

For home networks, the service is accessed by changing the DNS settings (see service home page for guides). While this can seem complicated, the reality is that almost anyone can easily do it. Additionally, one of the cybersecurity benefits of changing DNS settings is that it is very difficult for technology luddites to “break” it after you are done. The solution protects you and means fewer trips, or painful phone calls, trying to help family or friends fix their computer problems.

For mobile devices, CIRA Canadian Shield is a simple download in your app store of choice.

What does CIRA Canadian Shield do to block threats?

CIRA Canadian Shield is, what is technically called, a policy-enabled recursive resolver. This means that it performs the functions of a recursive server in looking-up and storing the DNS information – also known as a map of the internet.  However, it will not provide the answer when the site you are trying to visit is known to contain malware or phishing. Blocking it before it happens is preferable to first getting malicious code and then having it detected and cleaned by anti-virus software. You can think of it like not getting the flu at all rather than treating it with medicine after you are infected.

What does CIRA Canadian Shield do to protect my privacy?

When you use CIRA it means that your prior recursive DNS resolver can no longer know and store your DNS data. Remember that the DNS is a record of all your web activity, in terms of the sites that you and your family visit. We believe that CIRA is a trusted Canadian non-profit provider of this service. We will not retain any personal information for marketing purposes and will not resell your personal data. We retain it for the shortest time possible* to deliver a quality service.

Additionally, you can use the DNS encryption (DoH) service to further protect the privacy of your DNS look-ups by encrypting the DNS queries on the internet.

*IP address information is, in our opinion, personal information. We do store it for up to 24 hours for the purpose of stopping malicious activity abusing the CIRA Canadian Shield service for illegal activity after which all personally identifiable information is deleted.