FBI Arrests Founder of Ransomware Negotiation Firm

- FBI snagged Edward Dubrovsky, co-founder of a ransomware negotiation firm, for allegedly aiding ShinyHunters. The irony is thick enough to cut with a data knife: he was at a cyber insurance summit in Philly when agents moved in. ShinyHunters just leaked FBI agent records—medical, psychiatric, the works. Amateur hour. Gist: A "security" consultant is now federal property for helping hackers extort $70M+. Who gets hurt: The FBI’s recruitment portal and anyone trusting these negotiation firms as neutral arbiters. They aren’t; they’re middlemen. What to do: Stop kidding yourself that paying ransoms or hiring shady negotiators is safe OPSEC. It’s unsealed cargo waiting to happen. Check the seals on your vendors. If they deal in extortion, they are the threat. We're threadbare; don't be naive.