Liberty·4:00 PM – 4:50 PM
Friday, December 11, 2026
Talking TACOs: Insights From the Front Lines of Ransomware Negotiations
Ryan Silver
Incident response & ransomware
About this talk
An experienced ransomware negotiator takes you behind the scenes of Threat Actor Communications (TA Comms or TACOs) in the high-stakes reality of ransomware response. Drawing on extensive field experience across threat actors ranging from infamous outfits to unknown newcomers, this talk breaks down the strategic methodology and adaptability required to negotiate effectively. As a special feature, learn two previously undisclosed cases from RansomHub's mysterious collapse, including first-hand evidence of administrators defrauding their own affiliates during high-value negotiations.