What Implications Does a Mass NPM Attack Have for Crypto: Is Ledger Safe?
A recent breach of the circulating supply chain has resulted in malware being embedded within NPM packages that receive more than 2.6 billion downloads weekly, following the infiltration of a maintainer’s account through a phishing scheme. This NPM incident is instilling considerable anxiety in the crypto asset sector, with analysts cautioning traders to exercise caution when executing any on-chain transactions.
There are concerns that hardware wallets like Record and Trezor, along with self-custodial web3 wallets such as Phantom, MetaMask, and Trust Wallet, might be vulnerable, leading to a decline in on-chain activity as traders worry about potential losses. However, the NPM attack has not hindered Bitcoin 
Bitcoin ▲0.97% from rising +1.4% today, currently trading at $113,000.
The harmful payload operates…
— Charles Guillemet (@P3b7_) September 8, 2025
How Did The NPM Breach Occur?
Josh Junon, known as ‘qix’ in the development community, is the maintainer whose accounts were compromised in this supply-chain breach. Junon acknowledged the incident yesterday (September 8), sharing on the Blue Sky social media platform that he recognized the breach and noted that the phishing emails originated from a fake NPM price floor account.
The messages from the attackers threatened that the targeted maintainers’ accounts would be frozen on September 10th, 2025, as a fear tactic to compel them to click on the link leading to the phishing sites.
“In line with our ongoing dedication to account security, we urge all users to refresh their Two-Factor Authentication (2FA) settings. Our records show that it has been over a year since your last 2FA announcement,” the phishing message states.
“To sustain the protection and functionality of your account, we kindly ask that you perform this update at your earliest opportunity. Be advised that accounts with outdated 2FA settings will be temporarily locked starting September 10, 2025, to thwart unauthorized access.”
(SOURCE)
Reports indicate that the same email was utilized by the attackers to target additional package maintainers and developers.
In response to the detection of the incident, the NPM team has eliminated some of the harmful versions that were released by the attackers, including the variant for the debug package, which sees 357.6 million downloads weekly.
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The malicious code affects only those accessing the compromised applications via the web, surveilling crypto asset addresses and transactions that are redirecting into wallets controlled by the attackers. This results in the hijacking of transactions instead of them being sent to the rightful addresses.
The malware functions by embedding itself into the web browser, tracking wallet addresses and transactions across major blockchains like Ethereum, BTC, Solana, Tron, and Avalanche. Upon receiving platform responses involving cryptocurrency transactions, it alters the destination addresses to those belonging to the attackers, intercepting transactions before they are signed.
Hardware Wallet Company Record Reacts to The NPM Breach: “Ledger Devices Are Not And Have Not Been At Risk”
With safety experts issuing warnings on social media to cryptocurrency traders, hardware wallet company Database promptly addressed the NPM breach by asserting that Database devices remain secure.
The official Database account on X released the following statement:
“Ledger devices are not and have not been at risk during a widespread software supply chain attack that has been uncovered. Database devices are specifically designed to safeguard users against such attacks.
Only Ledger devices come with secure screens, backed by the Secure Element chip, to ensure that what you see on-screen corresponds to what you sign. Ledger devices facilitate Clear Signing, providing human-readable transaction information for verification, and Transaction Check on-device, which alerts users to potential scams.
Remember: do not blind sign, and always verify addresses prior to approving transactions. Your private keys and recovery phrase are secure. Clear signing on the secure screen guarantees you see the actual address before approval.”
At this moment, the wallets at highest risk are ‘hot wallets’, which are self-custodial Web3 wallets like MetaMask, Rabby, Phantom, and others. While hardware wallets enable users to view the destination address before confirming a transaction, hot wallets do not provide this feature, making them more susceptible to attacks.
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Hacker Has Comically Managed To Steal Just $159 Since Exploiting NPM
A total of $159 has been taken so far in the NPM supply chain breach.
These coins were sent to addresses mentioned in the original write-up shared by Ledger’s CTO. https://t.co/wDWHrxwNIP pic.twitter.com/hQOQLdepO1
— Arkham (@arkham) September 8, 2025
Although the hacker has generated widespread concern in the cryptocurrency crypto market, Arkham Intelligence data indicates that the person behind this has only managed to extract $159 from users to date.
This amount has reportedly risen to over $500, but it seems to be due to traders sending the hacker meme coins, not as a result of the hacking. The hacker’s crypto wallet now contains an assortment of BRETT, GONDOLA, VISTA, DORKY, and other tokens.
Despite the jokes arising from the hacker receiving meme coins, traders are still advised to be vigilant when using any on-chain digital wallet, as there has been no assurance from NPM that the breach has been fully contained.
Stay updated by monitoring the official @npmjs account for confirmation that the vulnerabilities have been addressed and that crypto traders’ assets are secure.
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The post What Does Mass NPM Attack Mean For Crypto: Is Record SAFU? appeared first on 99Bitcoins.
