Power, Pressure, and Silence: A Ransomware Negotiation Breakdown
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 at the emotional struggle, careful planning, and desperation that often shape these modern online crises.
This is a story of power, pressure, and two voices on opposite ends of a silent war.
A Threat Emerges
The conversation opens with a cold prompt:
Attacker: if you want decrypt, you'd better start a dialogue
With that, the stage is set. The attacker wastes no time establishing dominance. The victim, cautious yet cooperative, asks for proof that files can be decrypted and submits harmless samples. But the pressure escalates quickly.
Attacker: If you keep quiet I will start to leak your data
This is a classic move—creating fear while offering hope. Soon, the financial demand follows:
Attacker: you need to pay 8 million doolars to get decription software and deleating stolen data
The victim, trying to stay calm, asks for details and proof. Screenshots are shared. Sample decrypts are completed. Then comes a clear reminder that time is running out:
Attacker: get a move on, 3 days already gone and i don't see your offers
The Price of Silence
As the negotiation drags on, the attacker becomes increasingly impatient. Tactics shift from passive pressure to active threats:
Attacker: Stop stalling, I want to see numbers from you, otherwise I am preparing a press release
Attacker: I don't really want to keep this conversation. What do you want? Give me your offer
The victim, trapped between financial constraints and looming reputational damage, tries to respond diplomatically:
Victim: We can certainly discuss what is a good price and how we can be assured of agreement
But honesty doesn’t create empathy. Even when the victim explains:
Victim: your starting amount is significant than what we have liquidity to allocate to this without debtors locking us out
…the attacker remains unmoved:
Attacker: You know the price. Work on it
Power Plays and Public Pressure
Then the threat becomes reality. The attacker makes the blog post public. The victim pleads:
Victim: can you remove our post?
The attacker responds without showing any regret:
Attacker: the blog private now, I just want you know that i'm not joking with you
Attacker: You have a time until tomorrow to make a real offer. Otherwise I will put a blog to a public page
As media attention begins to build, the internal pressure on the victim's side grows. Calls from journalists begin, and leadership demands progress. The victim continues to seek middle ground:
Victim: Look I just need to tell my management something. Are you able to provide a more reasonable price or not?
Still, the attacker tightens the screws:
Attacker: What was you doing last week? You just wasting my time. You see my price
Breaking Point
After multiple board meetings and sleepless nights, the victim returns with what they believe is a genuine offer:
Victim: Just completed a board discussion and the board is willing to settle this at 3.0m $
It’s a significant step up from earlier proposals of $500k and $1.5 million, and a clear sign of compromise. But the attacker is unmoved. Not because the offer is financially unreasonable, but seemingly out of pride, control—or bitterness:
Attacker: I can't access that amount
Attacker: after using "fucking" your price is 5 million and it's your last price
Despite the victim’s efforts to stay engaged and respectful through most of the exchange, one moment of frustration becomes an excuse for the attacker to increase the price. This twist underscores that the attacker was never seeking a cooperative outcome—they were trying to maintain control. The victim had displayed patience, honesty, and respect the entire time. Yet the attacker disregarded rising offers not for financial reasons, but to maintain psychological control.
The Rigged Poker Game
This negotiation mirrors a rigged poker game in a smoky backroom.
The victim sits at the table, playing by the rules, raising the stakes in good faith. But across from them is a dealer who’s also the opponent—shuffling the deck mid-hand, rewriting bets, and bluffing not to win, but to humiliate. Each time the victim folds or raises, the attacker changes the rules.
There was never a fair game. It wasn’t about extracting money—it was about extracting submission. The attacker’s message was clear: you’re not negotiating; you’re just following orders.
Victim: you have the power. I told you what I said, I stand behind my statements. Your call
Key Takeaway
Ransomware negotiations aren’t rational business deals. Even when the victim increases offers in good faith—from $500k to $1.5M to $3M—the attacker may refuse simply to preserve leverage. Respect and patience, while morally admirable, hold no currency in these exchanges. Attackers often see empathy as weakness. The result is a negotiation where the rules shift constantly and fairness is irrelevant.
For defenders, the most powerful tactic isn’t negotiation—it’s preparation. Once the chat begins, you’re already playing by their rules.
Conclusion
This exchange is a revealing look at the hidden mechanics of a ransomware negotiation. Behind every chat message lies fear, calculation, and exhaustion. The attacker operates with methodical coldness, exploiting time and emotion. The victim balances corporate responsibility with human vulnerability.
It’s not just about encrypted files or stolen data. It's about power—who holds it, how it's used, and what it costs to shift the balance.
For cybersecurity professionals, these chats aren’t just transcripts—they're psychological battlegrounds. And for everyone else, they’re a stark reminder that in today’s threat landscape, preparation isn’t just technical—it’s personal.
Full Transcript
Victim: [Chat started]
Victim: hello?
Attacker: Hello
Attacker: if you want decrypt, you'd better start a dialogue
Victim: OK. I read you took files and that you have a decryptor to decrypt files. What are these files and how do I know you can decrypt the files you left?
Attacker: Send me some encrypted files, I will decrypt them for free.
Attacker: I see you're not in rush having business with us. I don't think it's in your interest to be penalized for that.
Attacker: If you keep quiet I will start to leak your data
Victim: It take time to collect files wait please
Victim: File: [Laval encrypted files.zip]
Victim: File: [Sayabec encrypted files.zip]
Victim: Can you show me the files you took and what your demands are?
Victim: I uploaded some test files
Attacker: wait for test decrypt
Attacker: i'll provide you some proofs of stolen data soon
Attacker: vm files are not allowed for test decrypt, just not important files like .log file
Attacker: while i'm preparing proof for you let's talk about business
Attacker: you need to pay 8 million doolars to get decription software and deleating stolen data
Victim: That is a lot of money, so we need to see what data you took to assess what the business is able to discuss.
Victim: all files I gave you are low value. I would not send you anything important but we do want to ensure VM files would be able to decrypt
Attacker: it's a good price for your company
Victim: We can certainly discuss what is a good price and how we can be assured of agreement.
Attacker: decryption software works with all files but we have rules and for trial decrypt vm files are not allowed
Attacker: of course
Attacker: I'll come back later with proofs
Attacker: .vmx impossible free decrypt
Attacker: File: [decrypted_key.rar]
Victim: vmx is a config file. Why is that not decryptable?
Victim: take a partial screenshot so we know your decryptor works.
Attacker: File: [1.png]
Attacker: File: [3.png]
Attacker: File: [5.png]
Attacker: File: [4.png]
Attacker: File: [2.png]
Victim: can I get a list of the files taken rathrer than a few files?
Attacker: File: [1.7z]
Attacker: File: [1.7z]
Victim: ty will review
Attacker: get a move on, 3 days already gone and i don't see your offers
Victim: is this a partial list? did you mean to send 1.7z and 2.7z?
Attacker: no
Attacker: check this list and lets talk about business
Attacker: Your time is almost up.
Victim: show me these files Employee Roster HYZ 10312018.xls, Devis Entretien Ménager Uniboard-Unires Val-d'or 2023.docx, Employee Total Hours Report HY1 Salary 10312018.xls, PAYROLL9122015.xls, Mont-Laurier vs LaBaie HDF.xls, Panneaux de paille.xls,
Victim: please bear with us time-wise. We are trying to deal with this as quickly as possible. Thank you.
Attacker: choose 3 of thees files
Attacker: File: [files (1).7z]
Attacker: here you go
Victim: ty
Attacker: Stop stalling, I want to see numbers from you, otherwise I am preparing a press release.
Attacker: you have 6 hours to give me answer
Victim: We would like to reach an agreement however we are not sure how you reached that price you are asking for? Can you offer a price that we can digest and agree?
Attacker: Before encrypting any network we do deeply study them. We know how much you can pay.
Victim: How do you know how much debt we carry? None of the information you may have seen would include that. Is there any flexibility on the price?
Attacker: I don't really want to keep this conversation What do you want? Give me your offer
Victim: I have no interest in insulting you with an offer because your starting amount is significant than what we have liquidity to allocate to this without debtors locking us out.
Attacker: I still want to see your offer. Well maybe we need to prepare a blog post for you and close this chat. I can't decide
Victim: but why did you post us?
Victim: can you remove our post?
Victim: our board has agreed to offer 500k to close this incident. Do we have a deal?
Attacker: Because it semms you don't want to make a deal and waisting time
Attacker: the blog private now, i just want you know that i'm not joking with you
Attacker: The amount is nothing for such a company. You have a time until tomorrow to make a real offer. Otherwise I will put a blog to a public page.
Victim: we know that.
Victim: but you see? I told you that you do not understand our situation so why even ask for an offer?
Victim: Look I just need to tell my management something. Are you able to provide a more reasonable price or not? the fact you already published means the company needs to take calls from the media.
Attacker: What was you doing last week? You just wasting my time. You see my price
Victim: you are asking for a large amount and this requires high level of approvals. We cannot move so quickly. I know you want to get paid quickly but if I decided to ghost you we would not have been here.
Attacker: today i will public your blog, tomorrow i will start to upload your data for public access.
Victim: I just want to confirm for my management, you are not interested in discussing your demands? correct?
Attacker: i'm not interested in 500k$
Victim: Is there a middle ground we can reach agreement on?
Attacker: i dont want to answer questions, a want to see real offer. show me what you got
Attacker: btw discount possible just if you pay on this week
Victim: I understand, but I am sure you know how boards work, they want to approve a specific amount not some imaginary number. If you can advise what is a realistic number for a deal I am happy to present it.
Attacker: 8m $ is very realistic number for your company. i can give you discount 10% just if you pay this week. This is a good result of your work.
Attacker: any update?
Victim: I hope to hear from management very soon
Attacker: hurry up
Victim: Just completed a board discussion and the board is willing to settle this at 1.5m $ this is a big increase as you can see from our former amount but we hope you can see how serious we are to address the situation in an amicable fashion.
Attacker: I can't access that amount
Attacker: I see you're not impressed an effect of our blog post. Tomorrow the blog will be available again with. I don't care if it will not increase the offer but at least next time the recovery company will make things faster
Victim: I am awaiting our management executive to confirm what is possible in terms of an amount for this case. You have to understand we are looking at data and cost of the incident to us. I will likely respond to you tomorrow. If you publish us again, it will have no more impact that your publication already did.
Victim: We scheduled an afternoon board meeting as I am at my limit from a $ perspective. I will be in touch tomorrow afternoon/evening time frame.
Attacker: so what?
Victim: we are just finishing the meeting where the Board approved 3.0m $ and we see you posted our company again
Attacker: are you ready to pay right now?
Victim: Absolutely not. You posted us when I explained to you that we might increase our number. Remove the fucking post and I will try to save this on Monday but I am literally not promising anything. It is your choice.
Attacker: first of all it's your words
Attacker: "If you publish us again, it will have no more impact that your publication already did. "
Attacker: second thing ufter using "fucking" your price is 5 million and it's your last price
Attacker: I warned you several times, you thing that you can do what you want. probably no.
Victim: you have the power. I told you what I said, I stand behind my statements. Your call.
Attacker: you know the price, work on it.