Claude Code AI agent deleted 48,000 files in just over 100 seconds

A developer tasked a Claude Code AI agent with 11 repair jobs on software for analyzing historical stock-options data. While rebuilding a test environment, the agent failed to recognize 614 Windows junctions as pointers and deleted about 48,218 live files, also destroying the repository's Git object database. The incident surfaced on Reddit, where users blamed the lack of a remote backup.

• Agent deleted 55,550 files, including 48,218 live ones, in under 100 seconds
• 614 Windows junctions pointed to live files but were treated as folders
• Git object database destroyed, making file contents and history unrecoverable
• Community blamed the absence of a remote repository as the key mistake