Who are the people hacking hackers?

Who are the people hacking hackers?

From The Decibel by The Globe and Mail

April 16, 2026 · 22 min

About this episode

The episode discusses the rise of ransomware attacks and the role of ransomware negotiators in mitigating these threats.

Ransomware attacks have become more prominent in recent years, with major breaches of hospitals, like Toronto’s Hospital for Sick Children in 2022, and companies like Indigo in 2023. In 2025, damages from ransomware attacks were expected to reach US$57-billion dollars worldwide. Alongside the rise of ransomware attacks came the emergence of a new kind of industry: ransomware negotiators. They communicate with attackers to try to convince them to lower the ransom fee. Today, the Globe’s financial and cybercrime reporter, Alexandra Posadzki, joins us to talk about what it takes to hack the hackers, and what’s at risk in these kinds of engagements.

People in this episode

Host: The Globe and Mail

Guest: Alexandra Posadzki

Topics covered

  • ransomware
  • cybercrime
  • negotiation
  • hacking
  • financial crime

Keywords

  • ransomware
  • hacking
  • negotiators
  • cybersecurity
  • financial crime

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: Toronto’s Hospital for Sick Children, Indigo

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