A powerful new iPhone hack is lurking for millions with older phones, reports Wired. Security researchers from Google, iVerify, and Lookout say they've uncovered "DarkSword," a browser-based exploit that can silently seize control of iPhones running iOS 18, Apple's previous mobile operating system. Because nearly one in four iPhones were still on iOS 18 as of last month, the pool of potential victims numbers in the hundreds of millions. Visiting a booby-trapped but otherwise legitimate site is enough to trigger the hack, with no taps or downloads needed. The best defense: Make sure your phone's software is updated, per Macworld.
DarkSword has already been deployed in espionage operations tied to Russian state-backed hackers, who hid it inside components of Ukrainian news and government sites. Google also traced earlier use of the tool to operations in Saudi Arabia, Turkey, and Malaysia. Researchers say the Russian operators made an unusual blunder: They left DarkSword's full, annotated code on the compromised sites, making it relatively easy for other hackers to copy and repurpose.
Once triggered, DarkSword quickly raids an iPhone for data—messages from apps like iMessage, WhatsApp, and Telegram; photos; passwords; browser history; calendar and notes; even health data and cryptocurrency wallet credentials—then vanishes when the phone reboots, leaving few traces. Apple says it has shipped patches for both DarkSword and a separate iOS hacking toolkit called Coruna, including emergency fixes for older devices, and stresses that keeping software updated—and, for high-risk users, enabling Lockdown Mode—is key.
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