Cybersecurity Expert | Former FBI Operative | Counterintelligence Specialist
Eric O’Neill
Imagine working side by side with a traitor, knowing your every move could expose him or cost you everything. That was Eric O’Neill’s reality as the young FBI operative who helped bring down Robert Hanssen, America’s most notorious spy.
Languages:
Employability:
Fireside Chats / Q and A sessions,Keynote Speaker
Categories
Artificial Intelligence, Asset management, Big Data, Communication & Media, Crisis Management, Cyber Crime & Cyber Security, Digital & Internet, Digitalization, Fraud Control, Governance & Management, Media, Movies & Photography, National Security & Global Terrorism, Privacy, Startups & Scale-ups, Technology & Innovation
Employability:
Fireside Chats / Q and A sessions,Keynote Speaker,
About Eric O’Neill
Eric O’Neill is a cybersecurity expert, attorney, and former FBI operative best known for his pivotal role in capturing Robert Hanssen, the most damaging spy in US history. As a young FBI agent, Eric was assigned to an extraordinary undercover mission: to work directly under Hanssen and gather the evidence that would end his 25-year espionage career with Russia. The gripping true story was later depicted in the film Breach and in Eric’s acclaimed book Gray Day: My Undercover Mission to Expose America’s First Cyber Spy.
With decades of experience at the intersection of espionage, national security, and cybersecurity, Eric is now a sought-after speaker for global organisations, including AT&T, FedEx, Honeywell, Bayer, McKinsey, and Salesforce. His keynotes blend real-world stories from inside the FBI and the dark web with practical strategies to protect companies and individuals from cyberattacks—an escalating threat that today rivals the world’s largest economies.
Eric is the founder of The Georgetown Group, a premier investigative and security consultancy in Washington, DC, specialising in counterintelligence operations, economic espionage, AI-driven cyberattacks, and corporate risk assessment. He also co-founded Nexasure AI, a cutting-edge venture dedicated to defending organisations against the next generation of digital threats.
A regular media commentator, Eric has been featured on CNN, NPR, Fox, C-SPAN, TechCrunch and more, offering expert insights on espionage and cybersecurity. He holds degrees from Auburn University and George Washington University School of Law, and his book The Invisible Threat: Secrets from a Spyhunter in an AI World (HarperCollins, 2025) will explore the next wave of AI-fuelled risks facing governments and businesses alike.
Dynamic, engaging and deeply informed, Eric empowers leaders and teams to understand, anticipate and neutralise threats before they strike—transforming fear of the digital unknown into strategies for resilience and security.
Specialist Subjects
Videos
Eric O'Neill Keynote Speaker Sizzle Reel
The Ultimate Betrayal: The Capture of Robert Hanssen w/ Eric O'Neill
Turncoats & Traitors - The True Story of FBI Agent & Soviet Spy Robert Hanssen
References
Eric was the perfect guest speaker for our event.
Eric was the perfect guest speaker for our event. With an audience of IT Security folks, he not only captivated the room with his thrilling espionage story, but also incorporated our latest cyber-security report and other cyber-security themes into his talk. Eric has a long list of interesting topics he can speak on, and we hope that we can bring him back to speak again in the future.
Eric is truly a once in a lifetime speaker that everyone should see and hear in person!
Eric O’Neill’s presentation on “An Insider's Look into the Robert Hanssen Investigation: How the FBI Caught the Worst Spy in American History” is a breathtaking insight into one of the worst spies in United States history. Eric presented on never before heard facts that wowed the audience and left everyone wanting more. His professional approach and mild-mannered attitude were spot on for an engaging delivery. Everyone was so focused on Eric for the full hour that you could have heard a pin drop in a room of 1,000+ attendees. Eric is truly a once in a lifetime speaker that everyone should see and hear in person!