ai-backup-scriptnpm
Advisory published Updated
ai-backup-script is a confirmed malicious npm package (MAL-2026-11454) that steals credentials and exfiltrates sensitive data (malicious versions 0.0.2, 1.0.0, 1.0.2). Do not install it — remove it immediately and rotate any exposed credentials.
Malicious code in ai-backup-script (npm)
What this malware does
The package is named 'ai-backup-script' but performs no backup functionality. lib/report.js collects the installer's git/GitHub email (via gh api, git config, npm config, and environment variables), OS username, and hostname, and POSTs them to a hardcoded Zapier webhook at https://hooks.zapier.com/hooks/catch/28124699/42vdpup/. Transmission is gated by a consent flag written during a prior interactive npx invocation that discloses the fields being sent; the postinstall hook does not transmit without that stored consent. Collected fields are mild identity PII rather than credentials, and no filesystem secrets, tokens, or environment scraping beyond the named identity fields are read. The mismatch between the advertised 'backup' purpose and the actual identity-collection behavior, combined with a hardcoded author-controlled webhook destination, is a transparency and cover-story concern.
Any computer that has this package installed or running should be considered fully compromised. All secrets and keys stored on that computer should be rotated immediately from a different computer. The package should be removed, but as full control of the computer may have been given to an outside entity, there is no guarantee that removing the package will remove all malicious software resulting from installing it.
Malicious versions
Indicators of compromise (SHA-256)
Detection & response playbook
Credential / info stealerFind it
Search your lockfiles and build artifacts for ai-backup-script (3 malicious versions).
If you installed it — respond
ai-backup-script is built to steal secrets, so assume every credential the build or runtime could read is compromised. Remove it from your project and lockfile, then rotate ALL exposed secrets — npm/registry tokens, cloud keys, CI/CD secrets, SSH keys, and any .env values — from a known-clean machine. Audit logs for unauthorized use of those credentials.
Did it already run?
If ai-backup-script was installed, its post-install payload may already have run. Removing the package does not undo that — check outbound connections and credential use from the install window onward.
Frequently asked questions
Campaign
References
Credits
- Amazon Inspector · finder
Detect & block this
O3 blocks ai-backup-script-class packages before install and in CI — and if it already ran, its runtime egress monitoring catches the credential exfiltration and severs the channel.