Geert Baudewijns: Inside Ransomware Negotiations and the Ethics of Paying

What really happens when a company negotiates with ransomware groups?

In this episode of THEOS Cybernova, Paul Jackson speaks with Geert Baudewijns, founder of Secutec and a veteran ransomware negotiator with over 500 real-world cases. Geert explains how ransomware negotiations actually work, from verifying stolen data and confirming the real threat actor to understanding payment dynamics and insurance involvement.

He challenges common myths, including whether attackers remain inside networks after encryption and why some victims end up paying the wrong criminal group. A practical, experience-led look at ransomware negotiation grounded in real incidents, essential for security leaders and incident response teams.

Production Credits:

Presented by: Paul Jackson
Studio Engineer & Editor: Manny Peñamora
Executive Producers: Paul Jackson and Ian Carless
Co-produced by: Theos Cyber and W4 Podcast Studio