News
Open source “password sniffer” fights back against online phishing
The Canadian Security Information and Event Management initiative, which launched in 2019, has brought together security analysts from across the National Research and Education Network (NREN) to share information and best practices, and collaborate on new cybersecurity tools. One of the more interesting tools they recently implemented was from an […]
Cybera and Alberta Innovates team up on COVID-19 hackathon
COVID-19 is a global pandemic, and “flattening the curve” is a critical approach for slowing the spread of the disease. Alberta Innovates, together with Cybera, are holding a virtual open data science hackathon from April 10 to May 8. The goal is to: Build data driven insights into “flattening the […]
Research proves the connectivity barriers faced by Indigenous communities are very real, and very limiting
The ConnectIN project was a two-year pilot project evaluating the internet connectivity in First Nations communities in BC, Alberta and Manitoba. Led by three First Nations’ regional technology organizations, and facilitated by Cybera, the goal of this project was to better assess gaps in infrastructure and services. ConnectIN wrapped up in February […]
Alberta cloud resource supports local charity that diverts edible food from the landfill
The Leftovers Foundation is one of Western Canada’s largest food rescue charities. Based in Calgary and Edmonton, the organization works with local restaurants, bakeries and grocers to redirect edible food that is headed to the landfill towards those who need it most. This rescued food helps service agencies such as […]
Alberta’s Rapid Access Cloud is supporting a global open-source networking solution
How a small Software Defined Networking solution out of New Zealand became a tool used by universities and research labs around the world, with a little help from the Rapid Access Cloud. In 2013, Cybera blogged about Software Defined Networking (SDN) being “the latest ‘big thing’ in the field of […]
Understanding our planet through aurora: An NREN case study by Cybera
People have been intrigued by the majesty of the Aurora Borealis for thousands of years. Far from just a beautiful atmospheric phenomenon, auroras help us model and predict space weather, understand the earth’s magnetosphere, and experiment with plasma physics. Through decades of aurora research, we have uncovered a treasure trove […]
Cybera’s response to the Competition Bureau’s review of anti-competitive conduct in the digital economy
Last week, Cybera submitted a response to the Competition Bureau’s call for comments on anti-competitive conduct in the digital economy. In its discussion document, the Competition Bureau called attention to the increasing market concentration of certain core digital markets, including digital platforms such as Facebook and Google. The Bureau noted […]
Cybera’s response to telco petition to increase wholesale internet rates
Last week, Canada’s largest telecommunications providers, including Bell, Rogers and Telus, petitioned the federal government to reverse the CRTC’s August 2019 decision to lower wholesale rates. These rates are what the large telecommunication firms charge to resellers to provide internet services. In its August 2019 decision, the CRTC stated that; […]
Data transfers and consumer privacy part two: Cybera’s response to Innovation, Science, and Economic Development Canada
In early September, Cybera submitted its response to a consultation by Innovation, Science and Economic Development (ISED) Canada on the modernization of Canada’s Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act (PIPEDA). (This followed our August submission to an Office of the Privacy Commissioner (OPC) consultation on transfers for processing.) Comments […]
Data transfers and consumer privacy: Cybera’s response to Canada’s Office of the Privacy Commissioner
Earlier this month, Cybera submitted its response to a consultation issued by the Office of the Privacy Commissioner (OPC) on transfers for processing. Specifically, the OPC is reviewing how consent and accountability should apply when a “controller” of an individual’s data transfers it to a third party for “processing”. For […]
The Origins of Canadian Supercomputing: The Visionary Role of Alberta
As part of Cybera’s 25th Anniversary, we will be publishing stories throughout the year looking back at the major milestones of Alberta computing. This week, we explore the early days of supercomputing in Canada, and how the University of Calgary’s investment in supercomputers helped set the stage for Compute Canada […]
In places with no internet connectivity, Alberta libraries offer a lifeline
When you look at the total geographic region that the Peace Library System covers, you get a good sense of some of the challenges faced by its IT Services Manager, Janet Ayles. Peace Library basically serves the entire top-left corner of Alberta. With 46 libraries spread over 238,000 square kilometres, […]
Cybera’s Case to the Telecommunications Legislative Review
Last week, Cybera submitted a brief to the federal government’s Broadcasting and Telecommunications Legislative Review panel. The panel has been tasked with reviewing Canada’s communication legislative framework in the digital age, focusing on issues of content creation, net neutrality and cultural diversity, and how to strengthen the future of Canadian […]
Forging computational superstars: the Fort McMurray success story
Something interesting is happening in Fort McMurray’s Westwood Community High School. If you scan the news section on the school’s website, you’ll see references to: A grade 12 student winning a medal at the 2018 Canada Wide Science Fair for his project using AI and RFID for medical smart technologies. […]
High-speed drug discovery
A supercomputing collaboration between Alberta and Ontario, made possible by the national research and education network (NREN), is speeding up life-saving drug discoveries. How do you screen billions of drug compounds to find the right one? Connect a research team at the University of Alberta with a supercomputer 2,700 km […]