The Business of Ransomware: How Attacks Are Planned and Negotiated- Part 1

What really happens after a ransomware attack? In this episode of The Cybersecurity Podcast by EC-Council, host Jay Bavisi is joined by  Kurtis Minder, a ransomware negotiator and cyber intelligence expert who works deep within the ransomware ecosystem. After spending years studying and engaging with ransomware groups, building #human intelligence #networks, and supporting organizations during live ransomware incidents, he shares how ransomware actually works beyond headlines, assumptions, and surface-level narratives. This episode covers: How ransomware groups are structured and why they operate like businesses What negotiation conversations with attackers actually look like Why ransomware negotiations often take weeks, not hours The growing role of automation and ai in ransomware operations Double extortion, data leaks, and scenarios where negotiations break down Learn more about the firsthand stories from Kurtis’s early negotiations, cases that went wrong, and why understanding attacker motivation plays a critical role in effective cyber defense. This episode offers a practical, experience-led perspective on ransomware shaped by real incidents, real decisions, and real consequences faced by organizations under attack.