VICEROY at HammerCon 4.0 - Recap
The VICEROY initiative sponsored and participated in the NERD (Novel, Emergent, and Rapidly Developing) Track at HammerCon 2025, hosted by the Military Cyber Professionals Association (MCPA), underscoring the role of mission-driven academic research and student talent in strengthening the national security ecosystem.
VICEROY Scholar Contributions:
VICEROY Scholars presented peer-reviewed research accepted into Military Cyber Affairs Journal and CYBER magazine, tackling some of the Department of Defense’s most pressing cyber and spectrum challenges:
Vimal Buck &
Srikar Maduposu
Ohio State University
Topic: Explored how blockchain can secure defense-critical infrastructure by increasing transparency and resilience.
Jason Ashong
University at Albany
Topic: Investigated cyber vulnerabilities in military drones and emphasized deeper penetration testing of hardware and firmware.
Sherman Kettler
University of Colorado – Colorado Springs
Topic: Introduced an attack flow framework to better map and mitigate multi-stage cyberattacks against operational technology.
Caleb Chang
University of Colorado – Colorado Springs
Topic: Analyzed MITRE’s Caldera framework, offering recommendations to improve emulation fidelity for adversarial simulation exercises.
Ethan Mansour &
Will Hanley
Virginia Tech
Topic: Delivered a multidisciplinary human security strategy for the Indo-Pacific, blending informational influence and soft power with cyber outreach.
These scholars demonstrated VICEROY’s core mission: answering the call for defense readiness by producing technically skilled, strategically informed, and qualified cyber-spectrum professionals equipped to contribute on Day One.
Leadership and Strategic Engagement:
VICEROY National Director Chester “CJ” Maciag emphasized how VICEROY’s mission—to deliver a qualified, mission-capable cyber and spectrum workforce ready to contribute on Day One—aligns with the Department of Defense’s broader cyber workforce strategy. Speaking to the Military Cyber Professionals Association (MCPA), Maciag underscored VICEROY’s role in strengthening the American military cyber community and advancing investment in the next generation of cyber leaders.
He was joined by fellow senior leaders working to accelerate the Department’s talent pipeline including:
- Mark Gorak, Director of the Cyber Academic Engagement Office and Principal Director for DoD CIO’s Resources & Analysis
- Dr. Diba Hadi, Principal Director of Cyber Academic Engagement Office
- Col (Ret.) Dr. Daniel “Rags” Ragsdale, Former Assistant Director for Cyber, in the Office of the Director of Defense Research and Engineering, Research and Technology
Together, they reinforced the importance of cross-sector collaboration between government, academia, and industry to build the next generation of cyber and spectrum professionals.
VICEROY’s presence at HammerCon 4.0 reflects the advancements of a maturing pipeline of defense-ready talent, capable of contributing immediately to mission-critical cyber and spectrum operations. By empowering students to participate in real-world research, VICEROY is not only shaping technical excellence in students but also delivering on national security priorities.
