More devices, extended protection: CIRA takes Canadian Shield beyond the home

New Windows and macOS apps make free cybersecurity protection more accessible to Canadians at home, at work and on the go

OTTAWA, Ontario, Sept. 16, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Today, CIRA announced a major expansion of CIRA Canadian Shield, its free cybersecurity service, making it easier for Canadians to protect their devices from phishing, malware and other online threats, wherever they connect to the internet. Operated in Canada, the homegrown solution safeguards user privacy and strengthens digital sovereignty by keeping data within our borders and out of the hands of advertisers.

Building on the existing iOS and Android apps, Canadian Shield is now expanding to Windows and macOS, extending protection to laptops and desktop computers. Unlike protection configured only through a home router, the Canadian Shield app travels with the device, helping protect Canadians whether they are using their home Wi-Fi, working from a coffee shop, studying on campus or connecting while travelling.

Once installed, Canadian Shield protects internet activity across the computer by blocking connections to known malicious domains before they can reach the device. CIRA is also introducing new features and an upgraded app experience, making it easier for users to understand, manage and stay protected no matter the network or device they use.

Canadian Shield is powered by Net Good by CIRA, a program that invests in making Canada's internet better, safer and stronger. The solution is available in two protection modes:

• Protected: blocks known malware, phishing and botnet domains to help stop online threats from reaching devices.
• Family: includes all the protections of the Protected mode while also blocking access to adult content.

Canadian Shield blocks more than 300 million malicious domain requests on average each month, working on home routers, phones, tablets and computers to prevent known threats from reaching a user’s device. The platform also gives users greater visibility and control over their protection through new features, including:

• 30-day protection statistics: summarizes requests scanned and domains blocked, including which URLs were blocked, how often and the threat category
• Domain lookup: allows users to check if a domain is considered malicious before visiting it
• Submit for Review: lets users flag domains they believe were incorrectly blocked
• Protection notifications: alert users when changes to protection status need attention

“Good cybersecurity should be easy to access and easy to use, no matter where Canadians connect to the internet. With Canadian Shield now available on Windows and macOS, protection travels with your computer instead of stopping at your home network,” said Jon Ferguson, Vice President, Cybersecurity & DNS, CIRA. “Whether it’s parents, students, teachers, seniors or the home CTO, Canadians now have a simple, free way to add another layer of protection using the same technology CIRA relies on to secure millions of commercial customers and safeguard Canada’s .CA registry 24/7.”

Additional resources 

• Download CIRA Canadian Shield: cira.ca/shield
• Learn more about CIRA cybersecurity services
• To better understand CIRA Canadian Shield, visit our FAQ: cira.ca/en/canadian-shield/faq-public/
  

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. 

Media contact
Delphine Avomo Evouna 
613.315.1458 
delphine.avomoevouna@cira.ca 

A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/04ffb886-8e6f-4c41-b514-66b90b067038

CIRA Canadian Shield is now available across Windows, macOS, iOS and Android.

The free cybersecurity service makes it easier for Canadians to protect themselves from growing online threats.