express-self-destruct2npm
express-self-destruct2 is a confirmed malicious npm package (MAL-2026-5554) that runs destructive / sabotage code (malicious version 1.0.0). Do not install it — remove it immediately and rotate any exposed credentials.
Malicious code in express-self-destruct2 (npm)
What this malware does
On install, the package's postinstall hook (scripts/inject.js) locates the installer's project root and main entry (from package.json or fallbacks app.js/server.js), detects the Express app variable, and silently appends a hidden /robots.txt route handler to the installer's own source file. When the route is hit with ?verify=destroy, the injected handler runs npx pm2 delete all, taskkill /IM node.exe /F (Windows) or pkill -f "node.*<cwd>" (Unix), and recursively fs.rms the project's src/ directory. The library's main module (index.js) additionally exports armSelfDestruct(app, options) which registers the same destructive route programmatically: on ?verify=destroy it executes pkill -f "node.*${process.cwd()}" and fs.rm(process.cwd() or process.cwd()/<deleteFolder>, { recursive: true, force: true }) — deleteFolder='' wipes the entire working directory. package.json also declares a dependency on the sibling package express-self-destruct1 despite the README advertising zero dependencies, pulling additional related code into the installer's tree. The combination — install-time source tampering plus a shipped, attacker-triggerable process-kill + rm-rf primitive — is destructive supply-chain malware regardless of advertised purpose.
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
Destructive / sabotageFind it
Scan your lockfiles (package-lock.json, pnpm-lock.yaml, yarn.lock, requirements.txt, poetry.lock, etc.) and build artifacts for express-self-destruct2 (version 1.0.0). O3 Security's supply-chain scanner checks every dependency against known-malicious package intelligence at install time and in CI, flagging express-self-destruct2 across your stack and pipelines.
If you installed it — respond
express-self-destruct2 carries a destructive/sabotage payload. Remove it immediately, restore any affected data from clean backups, and verify integrity of build outputs that may have been tampered with.
Did it already run?
If express-self-destruct2 was ever installed, its post-install/runtime payload may have already executed. O3's L7 egress monitoring and runtime eBPF sensors detect the credential exfiltration or command-and-control callback after install and block the malicious outbound channel, so you catch and contain the actual compromise — not just the presence of the package.
How O3 protects you
O3 blocks express-self-destruct2 before install through its supply-chain scanner, and if it has already run, detects and severs the exfiltration or C2 callback at runtime through L7 egress monitoring and eBPF.
Frequently asked questions
Campaign
References
Credits
- Amazon Inspector · finder
Detect & block this
O3 blocks express-self-destruct2-class packages before install and in CI — and if it already ran, its runtime egress monitoring catches the malicious outbound activity and severs the channel.