Black Hat Europe 2025: Reputation matters – even in the ransomware economy

Key Takeaways

• ESET's Black Hat Europe 2025 research found that being seen as reliable is good for business even in the ransomware economy.
• Ransomware groups care about brand reputation just as much as their victims do in the extortion economy.
• Understanding ransomware reputation dynamics helps defenders predict group behavior and prepare effective response and negotiation strategies.