Computer Security

The TAICO team is happy to announce our next meetup at the Adaptavist office in Toronto. Much thanks to [Adaptavist](https://www.adaptavist.com/) for hosting! **Wayfinding** * *Please be careful when using maps features on phones, some people have been redirected to a completely wrong address. The event is near Winners on Front St, which is just south, across the street, from Berczy Park (where the dog fountain is) so if you are not near that area, you are in the wrong place.* **Registration and Event Details** Our goal is to bring artificial intelligence and cybersecurity together. To do that, we need to explore what's happening in AI and what's happening in cybersecurity, and where the two intersect and collide. We're also working to understand how we solve problems in these areas, what that looks like, and how Canada can and will participate. With that in mind, we're pleased to announce our speaker and the agenda for our next meeting! **Sponsors** And thanks to our host, [Adaptavist](https://www.adaptavist.com/)! **Notes** * *Unfortunately, we won't have pizza at this meetup due to a gap in sponsorship. We're actively working on securing sponsors for future events.* **Agenda** **Doors Open: 5:30PM** **Event Start: 6:00PM** * 👋 **Welcome and introductions** * 🙏 **Thank you to our amazing hosts and sponsors!** 🎉 * 🎙️ **Speakers** 🎤 **Speaker #1: Curtis Collicutt** *Title: Stegalographer* *Abstract:* ***They said never write your own encryption. They didn’t say anything about steganography!*** *What if the best place to hide a secret message was in something so boring that nobody would ever look twice at it? Stegalographer is a tool that embeds data in legitimate-looking application logs by encoding information in the choices that generate the logs, rather than encrypting them. The template used, the number of trailing spaces, whether the log says 'error' or 'failure', and even the microsecond variations in timestamps can all carry hidden bits. The output isn't logs with secrets stuffed inside, but real log structure with your data silently riding along.* *This talk will explain how Stegalographer works, from analysing existing logs to extract templates (using the Drain algorithm from log analytics research), to the encoding process that turns your message into a stream of plausible entries. We will explore practical use cases such as covert channels in penetration testing, watermarking logs to trace leaks and censorship-resistant publishing disguised as 'sample data'. However, we will also be honest about the limitations: this is steganography, not encryption, and statistical analysis can potentially detect anomalies at scale. Whether you're interested in security research or information theory or privacy, or want to know more about building security tools, come and see how the most mundane part of any system can become a covert communication channel.* *We'll also touch on the experience of building security tools like this one using AI-assisted programming tools like Claude Code.* 🎤 **Speaker #2: Ads Dawson** Title: *Q&A with Ads Dawson* *Ads Dawson is an Offensive security engineer, penetration tester and red teamer with over thirteen years of experience breaking, testing, and securing applications and infrastructure across startups and large enterprises. Skilled in web application security, DevSecOps, and large-scale hybrid cloud environments, with a strong focus on offensive engineering, red team operations, and vulnerability research. Active bug bounty hunter and researcher in AI and LLM security, specializing in uncovering and mitigating attack vectors such as prompt injection, unrestricted model inference, and backdoor attacks. Experienced in leading incident response and simulating advanced adversaries to expose weaknesses before real attackers do.* *He works with organizations like OWASP and was Technical Lead for [OWASP’s Top 10 for LLM Applications](https://owasp.org/www-project-top-10-for-large-language-model-applications/assets/PDF/OWASP-Top-10-for-LLMs-v2025.pdf).* *This is your chance to ask Ads anything you want about AI and cybersecurity so come armed with your questions!* **⚡ Lightning Talks and Demos** Lightning Talks - 5 to 10 minutes long 1. Elshad Humbatli - Repo Health software project 2. **You?** \- Please reach out if you'd like to do a lightning talk or demo Please reach out to us if you'd like to present at the meetup. We are looking for people to talk about what they are working on, what they are building and learning, and are open to any level of experience and technical depth. Whether you are a beginner or an expert, we want to hear from you! We're all just out here building and learning. 👋 **See You There!** Thanks, and we look forward to seeing you at the meetup!

PLEASE CONTACT Jason at 905-308-4100 FOR DETAILS.

### The Hip Haus presents: [Professionals Networking Event](https://thehiphaus.com "https://thehiphaus.com")! Hosted at Mademoiselle ### \*\*\*\* What is The Hip Haus? \*\*\*\*The Hip Haus is an organization that exists to empower young and experienced professionals alike in the GTA and help the growth of local business. As professionals (especially post pandemic world) it is sometimes difficult to network with other like minded individuals, get good career advice or simply make connections with others you may be able to help or get help from. The Hip Haus is committed to providing social gatherings in an atmosphere where such networking can take place. \*\*\*\* Who Should Attend? \*\*\*\*The Hip Haus events are ***19+***. The focus however is the growth and development of professionals in the GTA. It doesn’t matter if you are a business owner, have a job, are looking for a job, recently graduated university/college, still in university/college, looking for others to launch a new idea or just want to meet other professionals, our events are for you. Remember that Industry is Industry. One is not better than the other to The Hip Haus. We are expecting a diverse range of industry professionals. Our events in clude professionals from Tech & AI to Entrepreneurs, Musicians, Artists, Bankers, I.T Professionals, Accountants, Investors, Advertising/Marketing Professionals, Bloggers, Authors, Lawyers, Doctors, Dentists (This List Can Clearly Go On). ALL ARE WELCOME! \*\*\*\* What to Expect at Our Events? \*\*\*\*Bring Business cards or have your LinkedIn QR code at the ready. Networking! That is the key to these events. Sure it can be a great place to hang out and have a beer with a few friends but it is important to come with an open mind to meet new people and make new connections. Build your network of friends/colleagues/advisors to help yourself as well as them. The Hip Haus wants the professionals of the GTA to come together to help foster personal and professional development. \*\*\*\* Dress Code! \*\*\*\*This is a tricky one. There is NO strict dress code but remember this; you are meeting professionals in an informal manner and we all know first impressions last forever. Come dressed in a way that would allow you to be comfortable and professional according to your industry. Consider This…would a professional musician/artist necessarily dress the same as an investment banker at work? Be who you are or who you want to be. #YoungProfessionalsNetworking #ProfessionalsNetworking #EntrepreneurNetworking #FounderEvents #FounderNetworking #AINetworkingToronto #TechNetworkingEvents #YoungProfessionalsAI #EntrepreneursAI #AIandTechToronto #NetworkingEventsGTA #IssabellsToronto **\*\* Let's Get Social!\*\*** WEB: [www.thehiphaus.com](http://www.thehiphaus.com/ "http://www.thehiphaus.com/") [INSTAGRAM](m/thehiphaus/ "m/thehiphaus/") \| [FACEBOOK](https://www.facebook.com/thehiphaus "https://www.facebook.com/thehiphaus") \| [TWITTER](https://twitter.com/thehiphaus "https://twitter.com/thehiphaus")

Every Wednesday Night! Free Magic The Gathering Commander games at Hairy Tarantula, hosted by Toronto Gaymers! Please note: Masks are required in store! For more information and to RSVP please over to harryt.com/events

After just 6 weeks of 2026--are you in need of a refresher on Willpower and Procrastination?? !! I am. Learn how to focus and follow through on what matters... Personal, Work, Social, Health, Arts/Culture. **Ticket link is below**. $20-$30 option We attend 3-4 events each year with our great friends at Rotman/U of T!! ### Description **Agenda:** 5:00 pm - Check-in opens + light refreshments (coffee/tea/cookies) 5:30 pm - Presentation by author + discussion with moderated Q&A 6:30 pm - Meet-and-greet with the author + book signing **Book Synopsis:** Setting goals is easy. Finishing them is the challenge. In ***'Intentional* '--productivity expert Chris Bailey** reveals the surprising truth: **willpower isn’t enough**. The secret to accomplishing your goals lies in **being more intentional.** Bailey distills a decade of deep research on productivity to deliver a profound, practical, and counterintuitive roadmap to getting things done. Forget endless to-do lists and a never-ending workload. To reach your goals, you have to structure your daily actions around what’s most important to you—and let go of the rest. This way, getting things done becomes second nature. Integrating the science of desire, values, and procrastination with the wisdom of Buddhist monks, Bailey empowers us to build a life of true purpose and accomplishment. He offers practical strategies for following through on our goals, including how to: * Structure goals for maximum completion * Make unappealing, boring, or challenging tasks more attractive to tackle * Lower the chance of procrastinating on long-term goals * Create a framework for tracking intentions and progress * Know when a goal isn’t for you—and when it’s time to let it go Finishing what you start is more possible than you think!! **Ticket link here:** $30 Enjoy the Talk + Book + Tea/cookies $20 Enjoy the Talk + Tea/cookies https://www.rotman.utoronto.ca/news-events-and-ideas/public-events/events-listings/2026/february-2026/feb-18-do-chris-bailey/ Either way--arrive by 5pm--and enjoy something hot to drink/snack! Please note: the Rotman Author talks start at exactly 5:30pm--and finish at exactly 630pm.

**Description** Coming Out Being Out (COBO) is a peer discussion group that has served the LGBT community for over 15 years in downtown Toronto. We meet to share stories and opinions, challenges and triumphs at all stages of coming out and being out. COBO participants are lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, two-spirit and questioning people. We welcome all who identify under the banner of queer sexual orientation and gender identity. **What We Do** \|\-\| COBO participants are often seeking to: * Understand what experiences others have in coming out to family, friends and their respective communities. * Develop comfort in discussing their identity with others. * Meet others having the same experiences when it comes to living openly. * Receive the encouragement of peers. \|\-\| Regular topics of discussion include: * How people choose to come out (at work, with family, with friends). * Where to find others like us in the community. * Challenges and triumphs in navigating family and partner relationships. **Where & When** * Every Wednesday from 6-8pm * Community meeting space at Casey House - 119 Isabella St., Toronto **How to Access the Meeting** Registration on Meetup is not required to attend. Attendance is on a drop-in basis. The front door to our meeting space at Casey House is controlled by the main floor receptionist. To access the space when you arrive: * Press the button to the left of the main entrance door. * Tell the receptionist that you are there for the COBO meeting. * You will be buzzed in and someone from our group will come to show you to the meeting. WE LOOK FORWARD TO SEEING YOU ON WEDNESDAY! *COBO is a community group led by non-professional peer facilitators and is not a Casey House program.*

Power grids run on protocols that were never designed to be secure. Modbus doesn't authenticate. MQTT trusts whoever connects. State estimation believes whatever data you feed it. This month, Parham Mohammadi shows what happens when you exploit all of that. **THE TALK** Parham built a full ICS attack simulation lab and ran real attack chains against it. False data injection into state estimation. Modbus register overwrites. MQTT broker takeover. Chained attacks against distributed energy resources. The operator dashboard stayed green the entire time. If Ukraine 2015 and Industroyer taught us anything, it's that this isn't theoretical. **THE SPEAKER** Parham Mohammadi — Postdoctoral Researcher, York University Parham spent six years at York doing his PhD on power systems simulation. The CPPS-SEC Lab he built for this research simulates real ICS attack chains against power grid infrastructure — the same lab he's demoing at this talk. ***ARRIVAL WINDOW — PLEASE READ*** Doors open at 6:15 PM and close at 6:40 PM. Our volunteer at the gate can only let people up during this window. After 6:40 PM, there will be no one downstairs to let you in. Plan accordingly. If you RSVP and can't make it, please update your status so someone on the waitlist can take your spot. Food and drinks sponsored by Stan. **CONNECT** [Discord](https://discord.com/invite/VDy69zgfc3) [Website]( https://defcontoronto.ca) DC416 is Toronto's DEFCON group. If you're into security, you're welcome here.

Let’s do some coding together at a cafe! No more working alone in the weekend. Here, we write code together. And I mean together together. Not occupying-the-same-space-but-separate together. Here’s how it works: Jennifer brings her mobile app project, tells everyone that it is like Pinterest for recipes and she’d like to work on the nav bar. Paul and Chloe think Jennifer's project is fascinating, and they join the group. They gather around Jennifer’s laptop and work on the nav bar for 2 hours. Jennifer is the one typing out the code while Paul and Chloe research, brainstorm, and offer suggestions. If you’re feeling stuck on your own project or need a motivation boost, bring it to mob programming! Want to learn by watching how others code and solve problems? Join someone else’s project at this event! Oh and we love your half-done projects that you are a bit embarrassed to share. Absolutely bring those to the event! **Discord**: We use Discord to share screen & code snippets during the event. Also feel free to share your projects here before the event! https://discord.gg/Da9fZFxPfs **Event policy**: * We have 0 tolerance for harassment. * We don’t allow the projects that are not meant to be shared in public such as school assignments, interview tasks, or trade secrets. * The goal is to write code. We discourage you from pitching business ideas here, doing code reviews, or spending the whole event on planning what to do. * Please buy a drink, and tip the barista well.

Eventbrite Link: **[https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/694505453507?aff=oddtdtcreator](https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/694505453507?aff=oddtdtcreator)** **Get groovy with Funky Fridays! Toronto's comedy party starts at 8 PM. Unwind, laugh, and kick off your weekend in style!** Dive into the comedic groove every Friday at 8 PM! Experience the funky vibes of Toronto's top comedians at Backroom Comedy Club. Join us for a night of uproarious laughter, good times, and the perfect start to your weekend. Secure your spot for an unforgettable evening filled with funky fun and stand-up brilliance!

Let's meetup for some casual food and drink. Talk some Tech and Business and meet new contacts. Feel free to share the latest projects you are working on. Or just make some new friends to kick back within this great city.

Eventbrite Link: **[https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/769799319487?aff=oddtdtcreator](https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/769799319487?aff=oddtdtcreator)** **Midweek Laughs Unleashed! Join us every Wednesday at 10 PM for the hottest stand-up comedy in Toronto. Don't miss the fun!** Unleash midweek euphoria! Dive into the heart of Toronto's vibrant comedy scene every Wednesday at 10 PM. Immerse yourself in an evening of uproarious laughter, spotlighting the city's top comedic talents. Backroom Comedy Club sets the stage for an unforgettable midweek escapade. Secure your spot now and be part of the laughter revolution!

Python Toronto is back! Join us for our first meetup of 2026 in [The Adaptavist Group](https://www.adaptavist.com/) office at **43 Front St. East** on **Thursday Feb, 19th** at **5:30pm**! If you are interested in giving a talk, we'd love to have you! Please fill out this form - [Submit a Python Toronto talk](https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfpNKB0Sbs893xp72M4TxmYGrTyLm4Nh1SSXnCqChP9mx6_9A/viewform?usp=header)! Talks are typically short - typically 5 to 10 minutes, and up to 20 minutes if you've really got something say - and on any topic that would be interesting to a room of Python people - this can be a Python library that has helped you, a research paper you've enjoyed, or an interesting application of AI. The Python meetup is a casual, community oriented meetup hosted by companies that use Python in Toronto. Talks are short, informal, and sometimes ad-hoc. Space is limited! Register now to hold your spot! When/Where * **When:** Feb 19th, 5:30pm – 9pm. Doors open at 5:30, talks start around 6. * Come early to enjoy **snacks** and **drinks** provided. * **Address**: [The Adaptavist Group](https://www.adaptavist.com/) \- 43 Front St\. East\, Toronto\, ON\. For more information about our venue sponsor, [The Adaptavist Group](https://www.adaptavist.com/) , please check out their company website - [https://www.theadaptavistgroup.com](https://www.theadaptavistgroup.com) **Code of Conduct** Python Toronto is dedicated to providing a welcoming, harassment-free experience for everyone, regardless of gender, gender identity and expression, age, sexual orientation, disability, physical appearance, body size, race, ethnicity, religion (or lack thereof), or technology choices. We do not tolerate harassment of any form. Sexual language and imagery is not appropriate for this venue, including talks, workshops, parties, Twitter and other online media. Meetup participants violating these rules may be sanctioned or expelled from the meetup (without a refund where applicable) at the discretion of the meetup organizers. Please email elaine@eswong.ca to report any issues.

Eventbrite Link: **[https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/430277871697?aff=oddtdtcreator](https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/430277871697?aff=oddtdtcreator)** **Thrills and laughs collide every Thursday at 8 PM! Join Toronto's comedy fiesta for a night of side-splitting entertainment.** Immerse yourself in the thrill of laughter every Thursday at 8 PM! Toronto's top comedians converge at Backroom Comedy Club for an evening of stand-up brilliance and uproarious fun. Secure your seat for a memorable night out, filled with wit, humor, and the best of Toronto's comedy scene. Don't miss the excitement—reserve your spot now!

Join the inaugural meeting of the Columbus Vintage Computing Club (CVCC)! Get to know others in the vintage computing space and get hands on time with a Commodore VIC-20 and various Palm Pilot PDAs! We will use this time to get to know each other, share projects we've been working on and plan the future of the CVCC. We'll be at the Hilliard Library in Meeting Room 2A at 6:00 PM - 8:00 PM

Want to be a speaker? submit your talk to our Call for Presenters!!! https://sessionize.com/cbus-hug-2026/

**Important time note:** Please plan on arriving between 5:30 and 6:00 as the elevators lock after 6 and you'll need to message us and we'll need to come get you. The building address is 4450 Bridge Park The entrance is 6620 Mooney St, Suite 400 You will need to scan your ID at the door to get a visitor badge. **Abstract** *Spec-Driven Development with GitHub Spec-Kit: From Intent to Implementation* Spec-driven development flips the traditional workflow on its head: instead of code being the source of truth, the specification becomes the backbone of design, collaboration, and delivery. In this session, we’ll explore how GitHub Spec-Kit enables teams to treat specifications as first-class artifacts—living documents that drive architecture, implementation, and verification. You’ll learn how Spec-Kit helps teams clearly express intent using structured, version-controlled specs that live alongside code. We’ll walk through a practical workflow that starts with defining system behavior and constraints, then progressively refines those specs into testable, automatable outcomes. Along the way, we’ll show how specs can reduce ambiguity, improve cross-functional collaboration, and make design decisions explicit before a single line of production code is written. This talk will cover: --What spec-driven development is (and what it isn’t) --How GitHub Spec-Kit fits into modern developer workflows --Using specs to align product, engineering, and AI-assisted development --Real-world examples of turning specs into implementations with confidence Whether you’re building greenfield systems, integrating AI into your stack, or trying to reduce costly rework, spec-driven development offers a scalable way to move faster without sacrificing clarity. Attendees will leave with concrete patterns and a clear mental model for adopting GitHub Spec-Kit in their own projects. **YouTube Link** TBA

**NEW LOCATION: Improving Office in Franklinton** Physical location: Improving Office 330 Rush Alley Suite #150 Columbus, OH 43215 Schedule: * 6:00 p.m.: Socialize, eat, and drink. Improving will be providing pizza and beverages. * 6:30 to 8:00 pm. Main meeting and presentation(s). See the handy Parking Map - we recommend street parking. [Street Parking Map](https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1u2A4fLNlxwLJn0KA_hKc8bnFlFHLvsHBDh-_8wzX_tk/edit?usp=sharing) We meet on the last Monday of each Month. Presentations are given by members and friends of this group. If you would like to do a presentation (small or large) on a python topic, please contact centralohpython@gmail.com

We will show a variety of methods for building agents that run in Microsoft Foundry. This covers the different types of agents: Prompt, Multi, and Hosted, as well as the development lifecycle using evals and traces.

Bring your work or your hobby, hang out, and code with us. Follow @buckeyecocoa for more information.

Christians in Tech is a community at the intersection of faith and technology. Our meetups are designed to spark meaningful conversations, promote knowledge sharing, and encourage growth—both in your career and your spiritual walk with God. Whether you're an experienced professional or just starting your tech journey, CIT welcomes you. Our Website [https://linktr.ee/citcbus](https://linktr.ee/citcbus) Sponsors and Partners * Improving (Venue Sponsor) * Bethel World Prayer Center (Fiscal Sponsor) * Fruits & Roots (Coffee Partner)