This piece is inspired by the presentation, Dark Web Tour, delivered by Collin Ellis during ThreatLocker’s Zero Trust World 2025. Ellis, a Senior Solutions Engineer at ThreatLocker, shed light on the dark web and the complex dynamics of ransomware negotiations.
In an environment where technology and business operations are deeply integrated, cybersecurity is no longer just a technical discipline—it is a strategic enabler of business continuity and growth. As ransomware attacks become more sophisticated, organizations must not only strengthen their security measures but also understand the broader business implications, including how insurance companies assess risk and handle claims.
The Dark Web: A Marketplace for Malicious Tools and Compromised Data
The dark web functions as a clandestine marketplace where illegal goods and services are bought and sold with unsettling ease. Ellis demonstrated how these marketplaces, some as user-friendly as mainstream e-commerce platforms, offer everything from malware-as-a-service to hackers-for-hire. Beyond malicious tools, the dark web is also home to vast troves of stolen data—including the personal and financial information of customers and employees from countless organizations.
"If any institute you’ve done business with—any medical company, any law firm—has been owned, the data is out there," Ellis warned. "Once it leaves your network, you know better than I do, that's it. You'll never get it back. You'll never be able to redact it after the fact."
One particularly revealing example involved the ransomware group CLOP. This group, like many others, not only breaches organizations but also displays compromised data publicly on websites like ransomware.live, which is available on the clear web. This transparency allows insurers, auditors, and even competitors to assess the extent of a breach, presenting significant challenges for businesses striving to manage the aftermath. It also means that sensitive information about individuals—such as Social Security numbers, financial records, and personal details—may be openly accessible to threat actors.
Ransomware and Cyber Insurance: A Critical Intersection
When an organization is struck by a ransomware attack, the instinctive response might be to engage directly with the attackers. However, as Ellis highlighted, this can lead to disastrous outcomes for a company’s cyber insurance coverage. Many insurers conduct their own investigations, including monitoring dark web communication channels, to determine whether the victim has engaged with ransomware groups. Any evidence of negotiation or interaction with attackers can void the policy, leaving the organization to face the full brunt of the financial and operational impact.
“Every step you take becomes important,” Ellis explained. “If you attempt to handle the negotiation yourself, you void a lot right away, and [insurers] know.” This critical insight emphasizes the need to involve professional incident response teams and strictly adhere to insurance policy protocols from the onset of an incident.
The Impact of Exposed Data on Businesses and Individuals
The exposure of customer and employee data on the dark web is not just a compliance and reputational risk—it is a direct threat to the individuals whose data is compromised. Attackers often leverage this data for identity theft, financial fraud, and social engineering attacks. For businesses, this translates into a prolonged crisis management scenario that involves not only technical recovery but also rebuilding trust with customers and safeguarding employees from potential threats.
"I can go to a marketplace and buy social security information, but it’s just there," Ellis noted. "You don’t even need a paywall in some cases. The data is simply accessible."
Organizations that do not take immediate and transparent action when data exposure is discovered often face legal and regulatory scrutiny. Moreover, the long-tail impact of such breaches can affect hiring, customer loyalty, and brand perception for years to come.
Actionable Insights for Business Leaders
Ellis's presentation provided several key strategies for businesses looking to strengthen their resilience against ransomware and other cyber threats:
Implement Rigorous Control and Governance: Organizations must establish robust control over their networks, devices, and user permissions. Effective data governance minimizes risk by ensuring sensitive information is not stored in vulnerable locations.
Leverage Proactive Monitoring Tools: Resources like ransomware.live offer valuable insights not just for security professionals but also for business leaders who need to stay informed about evolving threats and maintain operational preparedness.
Understand Cyber Insurance Complexities: It is crucial to fully understand the intricacies of cyber insurance policies. Businesses should ensure that all actions align with policy requirements to avoid jeopardizing coverage during an incident.
Foster a Culture of Security Awareness: Cybersecurity is not just the responsibility of the IT department. All employees, from the front line to the C-suite, should be educated on emerging threats, such as sophisticated phishing schemes, and trained to uphold strong security practices.
Freezing Threats Before They Strike
As Ellis demonstrated, effective cybersecurity is not merely about preventing breaches but about enabling the business to operate with confidence. The threats posed by the dark web and ransomware are not hypothetical—they are active challenges that demand a well-informed and strategic response. Businesses that adopt a zero-trust approach, maintain alignment with cyber insurance requirements, and cultivate a culture of security awareness will not only reduce risk but also enhance their capacity to innovate and grow.
Ellis drew an insightful analogy between cybersecurity and personal credit protection. Just as individuals freeze their credit to prevent unauthorized financial transactions, ThreatLocker enables organizations to "freeze" their IT environments. By locking down applications, devices, and data access, businesses can significantly reduce the surface area for attacks—essentially thwarting malware, ransomware, and unauthorized actions before they have a chance to execute.
The reality is that the dark web may already hold sensitive information about your customers and employees. By shining light on these shadows and understanding the full scope of ransomware negotiations, organizations can transform cybersecurity from a defensive stance into a strategic advantage—one that not only protects but also empowers the business to thrive while safeguarding the individuals who trust them with their data.
Comments and feedback are always welcome. If you have a guest proposal to discuss this further on my Redefining CyberSecurity Podcast, let me know.
Cheers,
Sean
Stay Connected and Keep Thinking and Learning
To learn more about Zero Trust security strategies and how to build a stronger cybersecurity posture for your business:
Connect with the ThreatLocker team to explore solutions that support Zero Trust implementation.
Look for Marco’s companion article, The Dark Web: A Reflection of Society’s Shadows, on this same topic as part of our coverage, presented from a business of security perspective.
Watch and listen to all of ITSPmagazine’s coverage of ThreatLocker’s Zero Trust World 2025 to gain deeper insights from security experts and industry leaders.
