Black Atlas Training

10/24/2026

If your site runs on WordPress, Joomla, or Drupal, there’s a good chance PHP is working away behind the scenes. Two serious PHP security flaws were patched this week, and the good news is that the fix is usually a quick update.

PHP is the behind-the-scenes language that powers roughly 70% of the web, including WordPress, Joomla, and Drupal sites. Two critical flaws got emergency fixes on October 21, and left unpatched, a stranger could run code on your server without needing a password. Not sure if your site uses PHP? Your host or developer can tell you in a minute.

Just ask your host or web developer if your site is running a patched version of PHP to cover PHP2Shell vulnerabilities. Many hosts are already on it, so a short message is often all it takes to know you’re covered. If the answer is no, the fix is usually a quick update, and if your site is on an older version that no longer gets security fixes, it’s a good time to plan an upgrade.

👉 Read the full article: https://blackatlastraining.com/resources/knowledge-hub/the-day-70-percent-of-the-web-was-left-with-an-unlocked-back-door/

🏷️ Tag a business owner to keep their site secured.

10/21/2026

Coming up next week, SaskMusic is hosting a Work Together in our space. If you’re a local musician, don't miss out on your chance to get support for submitting to the JUNOS!

SaskMusic Work Together: Juno Submissions
with guest mentor Lenore Maier

When: Oct 26 from 6:30 to 8:30pm
Where: Black Atlas Training (127 22nd St W, Saskatoon)
Cost: FREE

SaskMusic’s upcoming Work Togethers are designed to make the process less intimidating, give you dedicated time to work on your application, and they’ll even cover a portion of your submission fee! They'll be on hand to help with questions as you go through the application process. Just come with your computer, your submission materials (see the Junos 2027 submissions checklist), and make a fun night of it.

It is encouraged that you to reach out to them at [email protected] in advance of the session if you have any questions about getting your submission materials ready so they can help you put your best foot forward with the application.

If you’re in Regina, check out SaskMusic’s website as they are hosting a session at their office as well with Lorena Kelly!

As always, thanks to Creative Saskatchewan for making events like these possible. 🧡

🔥 Spots are limited, secure your seat early

💻 Register: https://blackatlastraining.com/calendar/2026-10-26-saskmusic-work-together-juno-submissions/

10/21/2026

Every customer interaction counts. Now how do you make sure each one leaves a great impression?

Customer Service is a 1-day, in-person course that takes you from the fundamentals of great service to handling your toughest conversations, and teaches you how to build lasting customer relationships along the way.

You’ll learn how customers define the success of your company, create positive impressions with a personal touch, practice active listening in face-to-face interactions, apply best practices for remote service, handle difficult and angry customers with confidence, and turn complaints into loyalty through the service recovery process.

Level up your skills. Save time. Work smarter.

📨 Have questions? Email [email protected]

🔥 Spots are limited, secure your seat early

💻 Register here: https://blackatlastraining.com/calendar/2026-11-09-customer-service/

10/16/2026

SESSION UPDATE: POSTPONED

An emergency came up for our partner organization, and we’ll announce a new date as soon as we’ve found one together. Thank you for your understanding.

Join us on October 19 from 11:30am to 1:00pm for Lunch-and-Learn number two!

In partnership with Sexual Assault Services Saskatchewan and their EnoughAlready initiative we are bringing you their “Creating Harassment-Free Saskatchewan Workplaces: Employee Training” so you can gain the foundational knowledge needed to identify, prevent, and respond to harassment.

We believe VERY strongly in supporting local so all our lunches for our lunch-and-learns will be from locally owned and operated businesses. Let’s build each other up and grow together. 🙌

For lunch-and-learn round two, we have a delicious local lunch from Casa Capicola Italian Sandwiches. Have you tried their sandwiches yet? Oohhh, you’re going to want to!

The training is provided free of charge and the associated cost of roughly $25.00 will cover your lunch. Additional snacks are provided by us.

We would love to have you, especially with such a great cause.

🔥 Limited space, register here to secure your spot:
https://blackatlastraining.com/calendar/2026-10-19-creating-harassment-free-saskatchewan-workplaces-employee-training/

Share this around, if you would be so kind. Together we can create safer, more inclusive workplaces. 😊

10/15/2026

Attackers don’t always break into systems. Sometimes they just ask nicely and count on us being human. Social engineering is hacking the person, not the computer, and it works by leaning on urgency, trust, and our instinct to help.

Here are four of the types of targets:

👀 The Open Book
Your birthday, job, pet’s name, and vacation plans are all public. Each one seems harmless, but together they give an attacker everything they need to sound like someone you know.

🤝 The People Pleaser
Helpful people make the best targets. Attackers pose as a coworker in a bind or a boss who needs something now, counting on you to say yes before you stop to question it.

⚡ The Speed Clicker
Click first, think later. A shipping notice, a payroll update, or a “quick look at this?” gets opened before the sender’s name even registers. A two-second pause to check the sender and hover over the link can stop it.

😎 The “Expert”
“That would never happen to me.” Confidence is a blind spot. Attackers know the people who feel immune are the ones least likely to double-check, and they can craft messages that fit right into your routine.

What’s the best protection? Know which one you are.

Most of us are a mix of all four, and that’s completely normal. Knowing your habit is how you catch it in the moment, whether that’s oversharing online, saying yes too fast, clicking before you think, or assuming you’re too savvy to be fooled.

So, which one sounds most like you?

💻 Give us a follow and visit our Knowledge Hub for more free learning: blackatlastraining.com/resources/knowledge-hub

10/09/2026

Ready to master Excel, one level at a time?

These training sessions help you solve the everyday Excel frustrations most people never get past like understanding formulas you didn't write, avoiding accidental errors in collaborative files, and completing tasks in a fraction of the time. It's practical, hands-on knowledge that pays off immediately in your day-to-day work.

Novice
Beginner-friendly training designed to give you a practical foundation in Excel
https://blackatlastraining.com/course/microsoft-excel-novice/

Intermediate
Intermediate takes your existing Excel skills and turns them into a genuine competitive advantage
https://blackatlastraining.com/course/microsoft-excel-intermediate/

Advanced
Learn the skills that separate regular users from true proficient Excel experts
https://blackatlastraining.com/course/microsoft-excel-advanced/

With courses running every month, you can start where you’re comfortable and keep progressing at your own pace.

Level up your skills. Save time. Work smarter.

📨 Have questions? Email [email protected]

🔥 Spots are limited, secure your seat early

💻 Register at https://blackatlastraining.com/calendar/

10/07/2026

Scams don't look like scams the way they used to. AI has changed the game, and they now have clean writing, cloned voices, edited images.

October is Cybersecurity Awareness Month, and the free Fortinet P.A.U.S.E. campaign is easy to remember, very straight forward, and kind of fun? 😂

You don't need to be a tech expert to protect yourself. This campaign boils it down to five habits you can use the moment something feels off.

P: PAUSE BEFORE CLICKING
Take a breath before clicking links or downloading files.

A: ASK YOURSELF IF THIS WAS EXPECTED
Question whether the message, call, voice, or image was expected and who it claims to be. Verify before you trust.

U: URL CHECK
Check the real web address before clicking.

S: SHARE WITH CARE
Think before sharing personal information. Know who you're sharing it with and why.

E: ESCALATE IF IT FEELS OFF
Tell someone you trust. Report it. Ask for help.

They have supplied some short videos you could watch for yourself or play at a weekly meeting, a few fun little quizzes, and a print-ready poster for your office or the break room.

You can find this and more at fortinet.com/PAUSE

👉 Share this so when that "quick request" lands in someone’s inbox, they can P.A.U.S.E.

💻 Visit our Knowledge Hub for more free learning: blackatlastraining.com/resources/knowledge-hub

10/05/2026

October is Cybersecurity Awareness Month and this year feels… a little different. *cough* AI *cough*

🔤 First things first. One word or two?

Most style guides and organizations go with cybersecurity and that’s our pick. Canada’s Cyber Centre uses cyber security in its name, so you’ll see both out there. Just stay consistent.

🤖 Why this year is different.

AI is helping attackers move faster, so being aware isn’t the whole job anymore. The Canadian Centre for Cyber Security names ransomware as the top cybercrime threat facing Canada’s critical infrastructure (National Cyber Threat Assessment 2025-2026). The goal now is being aware and prepared but also ready to bounce back.

✅ The basics still do the heavy lifting for everyday users.

• Use a password manager
• Use longer passwords and don’t reuse across accounts
• Turn on multifactor authentication
• Install updates when they pop up
• Pause before clicking anything that feels urgent

Attackers go for the easy target. These habits make you a harder one.

👉 Follow along. More tips coming your way.

We’ll be sharing tips all October to help you stay on top of things, with no homework involved. Follow along so you don’t miss them and send this to a friend or coworker who might find it handy.

10/03/2026

Brandon here. Earlier this week I headed out to The Glen at Crossmount for BSides Saskatoon, a local infosec conference. First time attending, and I only found it by chance on LinkedIn.

I’m more than anything a programmer, developer, coder, whatever you want to call it, but it’s been a long while since I dove into the infosec and cybersecurity side of things. I’ve kept up with the usual suspects, like new social engineering tricks and how to stay safe online as we have some base cybersecurity courses, but not so much the nitty-gritty. Consider this me dipping a toe back in.

What a community! Passionate, welcoming people who love what they do and it makes me happy to listen to people talk about their passion.

Huge shoutout to the speakers:
🔐 Dorina Hamzo, AdviseUp Consulting LLC
🔐 Ryan K Smith, Microsoft
🔐 Marcus Jungbauer, Mandiant (part of Google Cloud)
🔐 Fatima Nezhadian, Rush Street Interactive
🔐 Adam McMath, Mission Critical Information Systems
🔐 Elias Hassani, Cybersecurity Instructor, Saskatchewan Polytechnic
🔐 Patrick Kelley, Critical Path Security and Léargas Security

Big thanks to the sponsors for helping make this happen. As a business that sponsors local events, you have to acknowledge the sponsors 😂:
➡️ Critical Path Security
➡️ Arctiq
➡️ SRNET - Saskatchewan Research Network
➡️ Complete Technologies
➡️ Iron Spear Information Security Ltd
➡️ Bridges Health
➡️ Fortinet
➡️ Suricata Project | Open Information Security Foundation
➡️ SaskTel
➡️ SkillBit
➡️ ISACA Regina Chapter
➡️ AdviseUp Consulting LLC
➡️ Packt
➡️ O'Reilly
➡️ OWASP Saskatoon
➡️ Saskatoon Makerspace
➡️ BSides Regina
➡️ BSides Edmonton
➡️ BSides Calgary

Excited to get back into this space, meet the people doing the work, and catch up on everything that's changed. Looking forward to the next one! Check out BSides Saskatoon if this area of the online world interests you. 🙌

BSides Saskatoon
bsidesyxe.ca