Check Point launches Canada CloudGuard WAF PoP to boost security
Check Point Software has established a new CloudGuard Web Application Firewall (WAF) Point of Presence (PoP) in Canada, aimed at providing in-region security, lower latency, and enhanced compliance for organisations managing cloud workloads.
The Canadian PoP is part of Check Point Software's ongoing expansion of its Web Application and API Protection (WAAP) infrastructure, responding to a growing demand for faster and more localised cyber protection across Canada.
According to Check Point Software, as cloud-native applications become frequent targets for cyber threats, the ability to deliver local protection is increasingly critical for Canadian businesses. The company stated that implementing a local WAF instance is essential for reducing latency and meeting regulatory requirements for data residency.
Company tests cited in the announcement indicate that CloudGuard WAF achieves top performance in the sector, ranking highest in balanced accuracy among 13 major WAF offerings.
Industry context
The expansion comes as the cyber threat landscape continues to evolve. The 2025 Cloud Security Report by Check Point found that 65% of organisations experienced a cloud-related breach in the previous year. The report noted that a majority of these incidents were not immediately detected, with only 9% being identified within the first hour and 62% taking more than 24 hours to remediate.
This data highlights the need for increased efficiency and reliability in cloud security solutions to prevent prolonged exposure to breaches.
"As organizations continue migrating to the cloud, the need for secure and localized protection becomes paramount," said Xavier Bensemhoun, Cyber Security Evangelist at Check Point Software. "With this new CloudGuard WAF PoP, businesses in Canada benefit from faster response times, enhanced regulatory compliance, and industry-leading threat prevention tailored for local needs."
The CloudGuard WAF utilises artificial intelligence to automate protection against threats, including those listed in the OWASP Top 10, bot-based attacks, and zero-day exploits. The company reports that the solution can do this without relying on continuous signature database updates, aiming for high operational efficiency to support agile DevOps and security teams.
Technical details
The Canadian PoP delivers several key features for users in the region. These include locally-hosted WAF infrastructure for reduced latency and improved performance, which is cited as particularly important for applications requiring real-time responses. It also enables compliance with data residency regulations relevant to Canadian organisations.
Additional reported benefits include a near 100% detection rate with 0% false positives, AI-driven threat detection without signatures, integration with cloud providers such as AWS, Azure, and GCP, and the ability to deploy quickly with centralised management for organisations operating in multiple geographies.
The launch in Canada forms part of a wider strategy for Check Point Software, with further CloudGuard WAF PoPs scheduled for Brazil, Germany, the United Kingdom, and Taiwan in 2025.
Check Point states that the objective of this expansion is to provide consistent and automated web application and API protection with low latency and adaptable compliance, meeting the practical needs of organisations operating in diverse regulatory and performance environments.
