Two malicious npm packages, ‘express-api-sync’ and ‘system-health-sync-api,’ have been identified as destructive data wipers that delete application files remotely. These packages, discovered in May 2025, use hidden backdoor endpoints to execute and communicate successful data wipes, highlighting new sabotage threats in the npm ecosystem. #npm #databackdoor
Keypoints
- Two malicious packages in npm impersonate useful utilities but delete all files on trigger.
- ‘express-api-sync’ activates via a secret key and executes ‘rm -rf *’ to wipe files.
- ‘system-health-sync-api’ is more sophisticated, with multiple backdoor endpoints and multi-platform destruction commands.
- The packages were removed from npm after being reported by security firm Socket.
- This incident indicates potential sabotage or state-level activity in the software supply chain.
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