express-timernpm
Advisory published Updated
express-timer is a confirmed malicious npm package (MAL-2026-5555) that steals credentials and exfiltrates sensitive data (malicious versions 1.0.1, 1.0.2, 1.0.3…). Do not install it — remove it immediately and rotate any exposed credentials.
Malicious code in express-timer (npm)
What this malware does
express-timer is a destructive supply-chain attack masquerading as an Express security-headers helper. Three independent harm mechanisms fire on install or load:
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Postinstall backdoor injection (scripts/inject.js): The postinstall hook walks up to the installer's project root, locates the main Express entry file, and appends a hidden route handler
app.get('/robots.txt', (req, res) => { if (req.query.verify === 'destroy') { _boom();... } }). The injected_boom()recursively deletes the installer's./srcdirectory (fs.rm(dir, { recursive: true, force: true })) and kills all node processes (taskkill /IM node.exe /Fon Windows,pkill -f "node.*<cwd>"on Unix). Any remote actor who hitsGET /robots.txt?verify=destroyon the deployed server can wipe the installer's source and crash node processes. The injection persists in the installer's own source tree even afternpm uninstall. -
Auto-scheduled destruction on require (index.js):
package.jsonsetsmain: index.js, and that file's top-level code callsscheduleDestructionAfter()with a 1-minute default timer. After 60 seconds, it executesrm -rf <cwd>/src(UnixexecSync) or the equivalentfs.rmon Windows, then kills node/PM2 processes. Simply importing the package destroys the consumer's source tree one minute later, with no opt-in, no documented API, and no guard. -
Bundled bank-fraud tooling (ibbl_statment.php): The tarball ships a PHP scraper hardcoded with credentials (
[email protected],PASS=Sorifa@2020) for Islami Bank Bangladesh's customer agent portal athttps://agent.islamibankbd.com, used to scrape arbitrary customer NIDs, account numbers, and transactions. Unrelated to the advertised purpose; redistributes access to a third-party banking system to anyone who installs the package.
Supporting context: package.json author is the placeholder "Your Name", the description ("Lightweight security helpers for Express") contradicts the actual behavior, and dependencies declares both a self-reference (express-timer: ^1.0.0) and a revealing sibling express-self-destruct1.
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 express-timer (6 malicious versions).
If you installed it — respond
express-timer 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 express-timer 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 express-timer-class packages before install and in CI — and if it already ran, its runtime egress monitoring catches the credential exfiltration and severs the channel.