Ivy Cyber Launches Course Taught by CIA Whistleblower John Kiriakou and Yale Cybersecurity Expert Sean O’Brien
Ivy Cyber announces enrollment for its Surveillance Defense Course, a groundbreaking eight-week online program led by courageous CIA whistleblower John Kiriakou and renowned Yale cybersecurity expert Sean O’Brien. The course empowers participants to detect real-world surveillance, secure their digital lives, safeguard their cryptocurrency assets, and defend themselves against the growing reach of intelligence and corporate monitoring.
Ivy Cyber launches an innovative online program in Q4 2025 that blends intelligence expertise and cyber defense to help learners detect surveillance, protect privacy, safeguard cryptocurrency, and strengthen awareness in both physical and digital environments.
The Surveillance Defense Course begins the first week of November 2025 and runs through the end of December 2025. Learners will engage through asynchronous modules and live sessions with the instructors, blending operational tradecraft from intelligence practice with hands-on cyber defense.
“This program is unlike anything else out there,” said John Kiriakou, Chief Operations Officer at Ivy Cyber. “It gives you the skills to recognize and counter surveillance in both the physical and digital worlds. I’ve seen firsthand how intelligence agencies operate, and now I’m sharing those lessons to protect individuals and communities.”
The course delivers a balanced curriculum covering both physical surveillance detection and cyber defense techniques. Kiriakou draws upon his experience in CIA counterterrorism and whistleblowing to teach learners how to spot, document, and counter hostile surveillance. O’Brien, founder of Yale Privacy Lab and Director of Cybersecurity at Bay Path University, provides practical technology instruction. Course modules incorporate a wide range of solutions such as encrypted communication and digital forensics, building upon O’Brien’s experience with whistleblower protection and designing hacking and security courses for the Lawfare Institute and Yale University.
“Working with Ivy Cyber has been a phenomenal experience,” Kiriakou added. “The software is secure, the learners are engaged, and the collaboration with Sean O’Brien bridges the gap between operational security and cutting-edge digital privacy.”
Learners enrolled in the program receive access to PrivacySafe.app services, providing secure apps for collaboration and privacy-first communication. Participants also gain access to the decentralized social media community PrivacySafe.Social, receive discounts on secure hardware and software from IvyCyber.com, and enjoy preferred pricing on future Ivy Cyber Academy events and courses. When the course is completed, participants will receive a blockchain-verified certificate.
“We’ve already changed the way people look at the world,” said Sean O'Brien. He emphasized that previous attendees to Ivy Cyber courses have “reported sharper situational awareness, better digital hygiene, and a sense of empowerment they didn’t have before. That’s the best feedback a teacher can get.”
Surveillance Defense Course
This eight-week program from Ivy Cyber is designed for professionals, journalists, researchers, activists, and cryptocurrency enthusiasts who face heightened surveillance risks. The course teaches practical awareness skills, real-world counter-surveillance techniques, and digital tools for self-defense. It integrates case studies, exclusive exercises, and peer discussion within a secure online environment powered by PrivacySafe.app technology.
Ivy Cyber
Ivy Cyber delivers privacy, security, and freedom through innovative tools, software, training, and media. Its products include secure software and hardware such as the Launchpad Pro tablet, the PrivacySafe.app services for encrypted communication, the decentralized social media community PrivacySafe.Social, the Ivy Cyber Academy educational programs, and the Whistle Post independent media outlet.
Led by Yale Privacy Lab founder Sean O’Brien, CIA whistleblower John Kiriakou, and award-winning columnist Ted Rall, Ivy Cyber brings together experts from four continents to build technology and knowledge that empowers people around the world.
