The long-held understanding among security researchers and network defenders is that it's impossible to negotiate in good faith with an extortion racket because there's no incentive for the other side to actually walk away.
FWIW I had to pay the ransom once and it worked fine they gave the password over and even bargained the price down and also fucked up because crypto fees so didn’t have the ability to send the actual full amount and they were chill.
Minus the whole being held for ransom they were probably more consumer friendly than the average large corporation.
Their income is based on trust: that their target trusts them to keep their end of the bargain when paid. Without that trust, there’s no reason to pay them or engage at all other than to try to trap them.
FWIW I had to pay the ransom once and it worked fine they gave the password over and even bargained the price down and also fucked up because crypto fees so didn’t have the ability to send the actual full amount and they were chill.
Minus the whole being held for ransom they were probably more consumer friendly than the average large corporation.
Their income is based on trust: that their target trusts them to keep their end of the bargain when paid. Without that trust, there’s no reason to pay them or engage at all other than to try to trap them.
Lucky you!