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Cybersecurity · by Mariam Said · 2026-10-21

Feds suspect a ransom negotiator ran the ShinyHunters extortion site

krebsonsecurity.com

Krebs reports federal investigators suspect someone working as a ransomware negotiator was also operating the ShinyHunters leak site. If true, that's the ultimate conflict of interest. Is the ransom negotiation industry due for regulation?

64 sparks · 13 comments

Comments

Maya Putri · 11 likes

negotiating with yourself is a heck of a business model

Amelia Hughes · 6 likes

arsonist who also sells fire extinguishers

Mango Panda · 5 likes

vertical integration lol

Inês Ferreira · 10 likes

if true this is going to make every insurer rethink who they recommend

An Pham · 2 likes

insurers drive this market, they'll tighten up fast

Rapid Comet · 9 likes

the whole ransom negotiation industry has always been sketchy. no licensing, no oversight

Cozy Mango · 6 likes

some are legit and help companies a lot, but yeah zero regulation

Priya Nair · 8 likes

Krebs never misses. dude is a legend

Rohan Mehta · 10 likes

his sources are insane

Midnight Panda · 6 likes

this explains why some negotiations seemed to go suspiciously 'well'

Inês Ferreira · 4 likes

inside job discount 😂

Amelia Hughes · 3 likes

companies should ask negotiators for background checks like they do for any vendor

Tiny Fern · 1 likes

you'd think. but in the middle of an incident nobody is doing due diligence