CIRA partners with Akamai to enhance cybersecurity solutions for Canadians

Today, the Canadian Internet Registration Authority (CIRA) announced it has signed an agreement with Akamai Technologies to license Akamai’s DNS security-enabling solutions to power D-Zone DNS Firewall.

OTTAWA – April 30, 2018 – Today, the Canadian Internet Registration Authority (CIRA) announced it has signed an agreement with Akamai Technologies to license Akamai’s DNS security-enabling solutions to power D-Zone DNS Firewall.

This partnership, which builds upon the previous agreement between CIRA and Nominum (acquired by Akamai in 2017), will allow CIRA to continue to expand its leadership position in DNS-based cybersecurity solutions in Canada, and also provides Akamai the opportunity to expand its Canadian presence.

Key facts

D-Zone DNS Firewall is powered by Akamai’s DNS Infrastructure and Security and Personalization Services (SPS) solutions, and blocks 1 million domains every month for customers in Canada.
In less than a year, CIRA has added more than 800,000 active users to its D-Zone DNS Firewall service.
D-Zone DNS Firewall has been received enthusiastically in institutional sectors such as education, health care, and municipalities and is gaining momentum among small and medium-sized businesses in Canada.
The recent launch of the D-Zone DNS Firewall e-store provides small businesses with the ability to get up and running with comprehensive malware protection in minutes.
The DNS plays a key role in a comprehensive defense-in-depth cybersecurity strategy as 91 percent of all malware uses the DNS for command and control. DNS protection neutralizes malware.
CIRA recently published its first annual Canadian Internet Security Survey to further solidify its position as a cybersecurity thought leader in Canada.

Executive quotes

As the world’s largest and most assigned cloud delivery platform, we seek out partners that share our commitment to safe, stable, secure digital experiences. CIRA is a recognized leader in providing those experiences, and we look forward to working with them to bring important and valuable Internet security services to Canada.

Richard Blatt, Business Development Director, Akamai Technologies

As the stewards of the .CA domain, we understand that only by thinking globally can we help build a better online Canada. The majority of threats come from outside our borders, which is why we have combined Akamai’s global cloud security platform with CIRA’s unique knowledge of the Canadian cybersecurity landscape to build a product that protects organizations of all sizes and sectors from malware and ransomware.

Dave Chiswell, VP of product development, CIRA

Additional resources

D-Zone DNS Firewall

CIRA Cybersecurity blog

Canadian Internet Security Survey

About the Canadian Internet Registration Authority

The Canadian Internet Registration Authority (CIRA) manages the .CA top-level domain on behalf of all Canadians. CIRA also develops technologies and services—such as D-Zone DNS Firewall—that help support its goal of building a better online Canada. The CIRA team operates one of the fastest-growing country code top-level domains (ccTLD), a high-performance global DNS network, and one of the world’s most advanced back-end registry solutions.

About Akamai

As the world’s largest and most trusted cloud delivery platform, Akamai makes it easier for its customers to provide the best and most secure digital experiences on any device, anytime, anywhere. Akamai’s massively distributed platform is unparalleled in scale with over 200,000 servers across 130 countries, giving customers superior performance and threat protection. Akamai’s portfolio of web and mobile performance, cloud security, enterprise access, and video delivery solutions are supported by exceptional customer service and 24/7 monitoring. To learn why the top financial institutions, e-commerce leaders, media & entertainment providers, and government organizations trust Akamai please visit www.akamai.com, blogs.akamai.com, or @Akamai on Twitter.