Cyber extortion gangs routinely send journalists (often unsolicited) details about their hacks, victims, and leaked information, hoping that their exploits will make the news and damage victims' reputation. Journalists, in turn, are placed in a tricky situation, balancing the need to report accurate and true events with the ethics of empowering criminals. In today's mature hacker economy, some gangs have developed formal media and PR programs (such as the BlackMatter gang, which invited journalists to register on their platform in order to get early notification of data breaches, and direct access to "ask questions and get information from the primary source.")Victims, too, manipulate the media when hacks and data breaches occur-- often blaming nation-state actors, leveraging PR templates or selectively revealing details. How can journalists report the truth, while not empowering criminals? In this panel, seasoned Wall Street Journal reporter Robert McMillan will share his experiences talking with hackers and victims alike, how they attempt to manipulate journalists, and key strategies that he employs to ensure that articles are fair and accurate. We'll also hear from journalists who routinely share screenshots and details from hackers-- a different media strategy that also comes with the need for careful screening and ethical considerations by journalists. Along the way, we'll discuss issues such as speed to publication, authentication of materials, corrections, vetting sources, and the victim perspective. Takeaways for the audience will include: strategies for talking to the press, benefits and drawbacks of sharing the victim perspective, and common mistakes to avoid when talking (or not talking) to the media.