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New Delhi: Apple recently started rolling out an iOS 18 security upgrade for iPhone users, focused on addressing a recently identified exploit chain known as DarkSword. This latest upgrade, released as iOS 18.7.7, is available for all of the iPhones that are still running iOS 18, including devices that are eligible for the latest versions but haven’t been upgraded.
This move comes as reports highlight the active use of the exploit by surveillance vendors and suspected state-backed actors.
This update is being pushed automatically to the users with auto-updates allowed to ensure critical security protections are delivered without delay.
Apple has also reiterated its recommendations for users to update to the latest iOS version for the more advanced safeguards, while making this patch available to those who continue to use iOS 18.
Now, there are many users who don’t know about DarkSword, so it is an exploit chain that was identified by Google’s Threat Intelligence Group that affects the iOS versions between 18.4 and 18.7. It works by the combining through multiple vulnerabilities to gain deeper access to the devices, making it particularly concerning in the targeted surveillance of the campaigns.
The exploit has been used by commercial spyware operators and potentially state-sponsored entities, raising concerns around the users’ privacy and device security.
DarkSword has been used by various hacker groups to break into the iPhones of users in Malaysia, Saudi Arabia, Turkey, and Ukraine. The company had earlier released a limited patch for older devices that could be further updated, but users on the latest iPhones who stayed on iOS 18 remained exposed.
With iOS 18.7.7, Apple is expanding protection to all of the remaining users on the older operating system by closing a critical security gap.
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