LEXINGTON, Va. – The Citadel volleyball player Jess Martin stepped away from the court into the world of cybersecurity while competing in the Cyber Fusion event at VMI. 

Martin served as one of four cadets selected by The Citadel Cyber Security Department to represent The Citadel at the annual Cyber Fusion event. She competed against several Senior Military Colleges nationwide, including Norwich University, Texas A&M, the University of North Georgia, Virginia Tech, and the host Keydets.

Martin, who has a double major in Cyber Operations and Computer Science, tested her skills in group activities and a capture-the-flag competition. The competition involved participants seeking hidden vulnerabilities in programs or websites.

For Martin, attending Cyber Fusion at Virginia Military Institute was a chance to represent The Citadel while gaining firsthand experience in the fast-changing world of cybersecurity. The event brought together cadets from senior military colleges to compete, collaborate, and listen to professionals working in the field.

What was it like representing The Citadel at the Cyber Fusion competition hosted by VMI? 

“Representing The Citadel of the Cyber Fusion hosted by VMI was both rewarding and very challenging. I enjoyed learning from the keynote speakers, who covered the implications of genetic AI for key decision-makers,” said Martin. “We heard from the CEO of BlackBox Intelligence Group, who shared his experience as a penetration tester and discussed how thinking like a hacker is imperative for defending a system.”

During the capture-the-flag portion of the Cyber Fusion, competitors were challenged to apply their cybersecurity knowledge in a fast-paced, problem-solving environment. For Martin, the competition required teamwork, critical thinking, and a wide range of technical skills.

What kinds of cybersecurity challenges did your team face during the capture-the-flag portion of the event?

“The competition portion of the event included challenges such as digital forensics, open source intelligence (OSINT) web app exploitation, cryptography/reverse engineering, packet restoration, and network analysis, as well as HTML-based problems.”

Tackling complex cybersecurity challenges demanded strong teamwork and clear communication during the event. For Martin and her classmates, collaboration was crucial for solving problems under pressure.

How did your team work together under pressure to solve problems during the competition?

“We all come from different backgrounds and have different levels of experience,” Martin said. “At the start, we were able to divide and conquer the challenges. As the competition went on, though, we had to rely more on each other, working together to break down some of the tougher problems so they were more manageable.”

One of the toughest moments of the competition came when teams were tasked with deciphering an unfamiliar encryption method. Solving the challenge required research, collaboration, and creative problem-solving.

What was the most difficult challenge you encountered, and how did you approach solving it?

“The most difficult challenge we faced was decoding a radial cipher,” Martin said. “We were given a photograph of a spiral with different patterns and had to use OSINT to discover that NASA used a similar code on a parachute for one of its rovers. Based on the image we received, we then had to decrypt it using a binary-to-alphabet conversion, where the red sections represented a ‘1’ and the white sections represented a ‘0.’ Because there were so many steps involved, we used one computer to draw and count the spiral's slices and another to handle the conversions. While I’m familiar with encryption, I had never seen anything like that before.”

Competing against cadets from other senior military colleges also gave participants a chance to see how different programs approach cybersecurity challenges. For Martin, the experience provided insight into how classroom knowledge translates into real-world problem-solving. 

What did you learn from competing against other schools?

“I learned through competing that there are many skills you simply can’t learn in a classroom,” Martin said. “Each program brings different strengths to the competition. I think our cyber courses at The Citadel do a great job of giving us the background and necessary knowledge, but sometimes it can be challenging to translate that into real-time application. I believe we would benefit greatly from competing in events like this and then reviewing each challenge afterward to better understand the solutions.”

As her time at The Citadel continues, Martin is already considering how her cybersecurity education and experiences will influence her future.

What type of career in cybersecurity or technology are you hoping to pursue after graduating from The Citadel?

“After graduating, I’m hoping to earn a contract with the United States Department of Defense,” Martin said. “Eventually, I’d like to transition into a career in law enforcement.”

Martin was recently named the Echo Company First Sergeant to serve as part of the new leadership for the South Carolina Corp of Cadets.