Muhlenberg athletes are spending the summer of 2025 enjoying fantastic experiences on campus, in their hometowns, and across the country.

Rising junior football player Mick O'Malley, a computer science major, conducted research into cybersecurity after an intro class he took in the spring piqued his interest.

This summer, I had the opportunity to conduct cybersecurity research at Muhlenberg under the mentorship of Professor Proyash Podder. My research explores the security of smart plugs using fuzzing, an automated testing technique that feeds unexpected inputs randomly into a program.

With the rapid emergence of smart devices, it is essential that these devices are not easily exploited and user data is kept secure. My research contributes to the knowledge that helps manufacturers identify, understand and fix security flaws before they can harm customers. Knowing that my work can help people keep their homes secure gives me a strong sense of purpose.

I was motivated to take on this role because I found a love for security in my class this spring, Intro to Cybersecurity. This course taught me the basics, and wanting to explore the topic deeper, I reached out to Dr. Podder regarding this eight-week research opportunity.

What I enjoy most about my research is learning how to automate tasks through writing code. The devices I research often use encrypted messages, and without the right tools it could be impossible to see what is really going on. By writing scripts, I can automatically decode or encode messages, which gives me control over the testing process. It is very rewarding to watch my code do things that are almost impossible to do manually.

This position is a step forward in preparing for my career because it allows me to develop practical hands-on skills. Learning how to problem-solve and use code for automation surpasses just cybersecurity and will help me in all aspects of my life. Additionally, this experience taught me persistence and attention to detail, which will benefit me in any technical role.