OTTAWA, Ontario, Oct. 09, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- As malicious actors wreak havoc on organizations of all sizes across the country, Canadian businesses are struggling to improve their cybersecurity posture leading to an increased risk of losing customers. Today, CIRA and Commissionaires announce a partnership that will help make cybersecurity training and protection readily available to small businesses regardless of their budget so they can keep their data, networks and customers safe.
With over 120 years of combined expertise in physical and online security, and a common goal to keep Canadians safe, both not-for-profit organizations have been working together to offer affordable, easy-to-deploy cybersecurity solutions tailored to the Canadian market to a wider range of businesses.
“It felt like a really good fit; we’re non-profit. We’re all about supporting Canadians and Canadian veterans, and it made a lot of sense for us to work with a company that had shared values,” said Rolland Winters, Director of Cybersecurity at Commissionaires.
Commissionaires, Canada’s largest private sector employer of veterans and the only national not-for-profit security company, is responding to the increased sophistication and frequency of human engineering attacks by reinforcing businesses’ human cybersecurity layer: employees. This ensures employees receive the regular training they need to stay engaged while teaching them to view digital content critically.
This partnership with CIRA will kick off with two flagship solutions:
- CIRA Cybersecurity Awareness Training: designed to reduce human cybersecurity risks, this all-in-one platform leverages end-user gamification to include Canadian stories, privacy laws and institutions while providing risk assessment tools and bilingual courses. Over 200,000 Canadians at more than 400 organizations already trust the platform to affect positive behavioural changes.
- CIRA DNS Firewall: the cost-effective, low-maintenance layer of protection analyzes the DNS traffic of enterprises while also blocking users’ devices and applications from accessing malicious domains, preventing phishing attacks and stopping malware in its tracks. Located in Canadian data centres and peered to Canadian internet exchange points, CIRA DNS Firewall is powered by world-class threat intelligence.
“Helping businesses strengthen their cybersecurity posture requires robust software, streamlined operations and talented people. Partnering with Commissionaires, a fellow Canadian not-for-profit, is an opportunity to drive a synergy between CIRA’s expertise in developing tailored solutions for the Canadian market and Commissionaires’ capabilities to train skilled workers,” said Jon Ferguson, Vice President, Cybersecurity & DNS, CIRA. “Together we will be able to reach and protect more Canadians while developing cybersecurity talent in Canada.”
By leveraging CIRA’s solutions, Commissionaires plans to train thousands of Canadian workers on good security hygiene starting later this month and hopes to reach many more in the coming years.
CIRA and Commissionaires will attend the Colloque Cybersécurité et protection des données personnelles in Québec City on October 10 to discuss the partnership with local ministries, public, parapublic and private organizations.
Additional resources
- Learn more about CIRA cybersecurity services
- For more information about Commissionnaires du Québec cybersecurity solutions, visit: www.commissionnairesquebec.ca
About CIRA
CIRA is the national not-for-profit best known for managing the .CA domain on behalf of all Canadians. As a leader in Canada’s internet ecosystem, CIRA offers a wide range of products, programs and services designed to make the internet a secure and accessible space for all. CIRA represents Canada on both national and international stages to support its goal of building a trusted internet for Canadians by helping shape the future of the internet.
About Commissionaires
Celebrating its centennial in 2025, Commissionaires is a self-funded not-for-profit company with a social mandate to provide employment to veterans of the Canadian Armed Forces and Royal Canadian Mounted Police, as well as contribute to the well-being of their families. Commissionaires is Canada’s premier security provider and the largest private-sector employer of veterans. Founded on core military values of dedication, responsibility and sense of mission, Commissionaires employs 23,000 people across the country. It offers a wide range of security services, including professional guarding, monitoring and surveillance, threat risk assessment, non-core policing, by-law enforcement, digital fingerprinting, criminal and employee background screening, investigations, and security training.
Media contacts
Delphine Avomo Evouna
Communications Manager, CIRA
613.315.1458
delphine.avomoevouna@cira.ca
