Man In The Browser

Ransomware incidents often feel distant until they’re real — until your files are locked, your data is stolen, and you're forced to negotiate just to contain the damage. Many are now handled like business transactions — with calm messages, structured offers, and even “customer support” tones. This post looks

This negotiation reveals an unusual and telling detail: the ransomware was mistakenly deployed against an individual, not a business. The attacker realizes this early on and quickly adapts their tactics—abandoning corporate-sized demands and instead engaging in a drawn-out, personalized bargaining session. It’s a rare look at how these

Introduction In the shadowy corners of the digital world, high-stakes negotiations unfold in real time. They're not held in boardrooms, nor aired on public forums. Instead, they take place quietly—buried in chat logs between ransomware attackers and their victims. One such exchange gives a clear, honest look

In today’s cyber landscape, the threat of ransomware is a chilling reality for organizations across the globe. Behind the headlines and statistics are real people navigating high-stakes, high-pressure conversations with faceless attackers. This post takes you inside one such negotiation — an authentic, anonymized exchange between a corporate IT recovery

“You are a bad poker player and a bad negotiator.” — Conti operator to a healthcare victim Ransomware negotiations are usually seen as tense standoffs—fast, intense, and final. But not every incident resolves quickly. Some, like this drawn-out exchange with the Conti ransomware group, drag on for weeks, wearing down

“You’re an incompetent negotiator.” — REvil operator to a desperate victim In the deep corners of the internet, where stolen data is currency and deadlines are weapons, a high-stakes game played out between a victim and one of the most notorious ransomware groups: REvil. This post captures the tense and

Today, we unpack a ransomware negotiation that doesn’t just reveal criminal sophistication—it exposes the fragile dependencies in modern digital supply chains. This isn’t theory. It’s based on actual chat logs with LockBit 3.0. The stakes? A demanded $18 million ransom, two terabytes of stolen data,

Summary In this detailed analysis, we dive into a ransomware negotiation involving the infamous REvil group and the victim. Once the attackers encrypted the victim’s local network and exfiltrated sensitive data, both sides entered a tense back-and-forth chat to sort things out. Some of the big topics were the

Ransomware negotiations are a tense, high-stakes dance where every word—and every minute—can tip the balance between recovery and disaster. The following case offers a rare, detailed glimpse into a negotiation with the LockBit ransomware group, where the victim, a relatively novice negotiator, tries to navigate demands that spiral

Ransomware attacks are not just about technology—they are high-stakes negotiations full of tension, uncertainty, and psychological pressure. The negotiation between a victim and the Avaddon ransomware group, offers a revealing look into the complex dynamics that unfold behind the scenes. In this case, the victim not only tried to

Ransomware attacks are devastating, but the period that follows can be an even more intense psychological battle. The attackers don’t just blindly lock files—they gather intelligence to maximize their leverage. The following chat log from the Darkside ransomware group reveals how attackers use detailed financial knowledge and third-party

Ransomware attacks are devastating for any organization, but one aspect that’s rarely discussed openly is the agonizing wait between reaching out to attackers and receiving their responses. It often feels like being stuck on hold with customer service—but with your entire business at risk. Here’s an actual

Summary The chat logs show a ransomware negotiation chat logs between the victim and the Avaddon group. They kicked things off by asking for 300,000 dollars to decrypt the stolen data and threatened to leak sensitive info if the victim didn’t pay up. The victim, who was a

Summary of What Happened The attacker known as REvil says they've broken into the victim's network, stolen 500 GB of data, and encrypted some systems, including ESXi servers. They want a multimillion-dollar ransom and threaten to leak the data if it’s not paid. They also

The chat logs shares a conversation that went down between the ransomware group Akira and a non-profit organization that got hit by a cyberattack where their data got encrypted. The attackers asked for a ransom to unlock the data, prove they’d deleted it, and provide a security report. They

Summary The chat logs depict a tense negotiation between the victim and the DarkSide ransomware group following a cyberattack that resulted in data exfiltration. DarkSide demanded a ransom of $600,000 for decryption and data deletion, with threats to publish the stolen data if payment was not made promptly. The

The chat logs show a back-and-forth between a small business that got hit by a ransomware attack and the group behind it, known as Conti. After the attack, the company’s files were locked up, and Conti started off by asking for a hefty $900,000 to unlock them. They

Ransomware attacks are a big problem for organizations everywhere. Here’s a look at a negotiation between a victim and a ransomware group known as Dragonforce. This situation really shows how tricky these ransomware talks can be. Audio Overview0:00/787.8481× Important Facts: * Ransomware Group: Dragonforce * Data Exfiltration: Yes,

Here's a detailed breakdown of a negotiation between a victim and the ransomware group Black Basta. This conversation illustrates the complexities of ransomware interactions and the demands made by attackers. Audio Overview0:00/627.2641× Important Facts: * Ransomware Group: Black Basta * Data Exfiltration: 540GB of sensitive data * Initial

Here's a detailed example of a negotiation between a victim and the ransomware group LockBit 3.0. This conversation illustrates the complexities of ransomware interactions and the demands made by attackers. (full attacker-victim negotiation below). LockBit 3.0 Ransomware Negotiation A Detailed Victim Attacker Dialogue0:00/610.2961×