Cybersecurity is no longer just a technical conversation—it’s a business-critical, people-powered, constantly evolving mission. And few people understand this better than Eric O’Neill, a former FBI counterintelligence operative whose real-life story helped bring down one of the most damaging spies in U.S. history.
In a recent live-recorded episode of Joey Pinz Discipline Conversations at RoarCon 24, O’Neill offered insights that every Managed Service Provider (MSP) should hear. His firsthand experiences—from catching FBI mole Robert Hanssen to consulting on the front lines of cybersecurity—shed light on threats both external and internal.
Here are six vital cybersecurity lessons MSPs can take away from Eric O’Neill’s story—and why applying them now is critical to protecting your business and your clients.
1. Insider Threats Are Real—and Dangerous
O’Neill’s most famous case centered on catching Robert Hanssen, a long-time FBI agent turned Russian spy. The takeaway? Sometimes the greatest threats are already inside the organization. For MSPs, this underscores the need for proactive monitoring, role-based access control, and employee behavioral tracking to detect unusual internal activity before it becomes catastrophic.
2. APTs Aren’t Just a Big-Company Problem
Advanced Persistent Threats (APTs)—coordinated, stealthy cyberattacks often run by nation-states—aren’t limited to governments and Fortune 500 companies. O’Neill warned that MSPs are often targeted as gateways into other businesses. Staying ahead of APTs requires endpoint detection and response (EDR), threat hunting, and active intelligence-sharing.
3. Cybersecurity Training Must Be Continuous
One of O’Neill’s clearest points: training isn’t a one-time event. MSPs must regularly educate their teams and clients about social engineering, phishing tactics, and evolving threats. The human element is always the weakest link—and also the most fixable one.
Host phishing simulations. Deliver micro-trainings. Keep cybersecurity front-of-mind, always.
4. Zero Trust Is the Future (And Present)
“Trust but verify” is outdated. O’Neill emphasized the urgency for MSPs to adopt Zero Trust Architecture, a security model where no user or system is inherently trusted—inside or outside the network. For MSPs, implementing Zero Trust means tighter identity verification, continuous monitoring, and conditional access controls.
5. Law Enforcement Is a Partner, Not a Last Resort
Many MSPs wait until it’s too late to involve law enforcement. O’Neill urged providers to build relationships with agencies before incidents happen. These relationships can yield threat intelligence, guidance during incidents, and credibility with clients. Don’t wait for a breach—start the conversations now.
6. Cybersecurity Is About People First
Even with all the right tech in place, humans remain the greatest vulnerability—and opportunity. O’Neill reminded us that culture, communication, and accountability are just as important as software. Build a culture of security within your MSP, and model that same behavior for your clients.
From Espionage to Enterprise Security
Eric O’Neill’s life reads like a Hollywood script—but the lessons he shares are all too real. As MSPs continue to serve as front-line defenders of businesses everywhere, applying these insights is essential.
Cybersecurity isn’t just a department—it’s a discipline.
Start with these six lessons, and build from there.
