Interview with Valéry Rieß-Marchive – Managing Leaks in Ransomware Negotiations

Valéry Rieß-Marchive discusses how organisations should handle crisis communications during cyberattacks, with a focus on the risks and impacts of leaked ransomware negotiations. He notes that an undisclosed cyberattack becoming public is a primary risk, since a ransom paid to suppress the news would undermine that intent, and sensitive information shared during negotiations might be exposed, wrecking any planned communication strategy.

He adds that resilience in such crises hinges on two pillars: IT and communication, and that, as shown in a 2022 Bessé/G.P. Goldstein analysis, “communication is essential to trust”; if leaked chat logs appear inconsistent or unprofessional, trust can be damaged. Leaked conversations may also make the victim a target for additional threat actors looking to exploit perceived weakness, something he says has happened before.

The interview refers to recent high‑profile leaks, including Balenciaga’s chat negotiations, to illustrate these dynamics. For more insights, the piece directs readers to Man in the Browser for the full interview.