While France is one of the countries most affected by cyberattacks, they are the last ramparts against hackers. David Corona, former GIGN negotiator, converted to this field by founding his company In Cognita.
“A cyberattack is like taking a hostage,” summarizes David Corona. You have someone who has something you want, but you don’t know who they are or where they are”. First step: make sure that the cyberattacker has the decryption key, which will be used to regain access to blocked data.
Unlike traditional negotiation, which usually involves oral discussion or eye contact with the attacker, the cybernegotiator has very few elements at his disposal. “You have to create a link, explains David Corona. This happens by playing on time, by speeding up or slowing down the rhythm”.
There is no question of opposing the attacker head-on: “We need to engage more in cooperation, and make the person believe that they have no control, or on the contrary, that they are superior. In this case, she will be more lenient in allowing time. As for the ransom, David Corona is categorical: “Negotiating is not paying, we don’t pay a ransom, most of the time”. Watch our video at the top of the article.
