DarkSword iPhone exploit kit leaked publicly on GitHub
A newer version of the DarkSword kit was posted publicly and works against iPhones and iPads running iOS 18. Updating is the best defense.
What happened
Someone published a newer version of the "DarkSword" exploit kit on GitHub. It is designed to hack iPhones and iPads running older versions of iOS.
According to security firms iVerify, Google and Lookout, it works specifically against iOS 18.
How many people are at risk?
- Apple's own data shows about a quarter of iPhone and iPad users are on iOS 18 or earlier.
- With more than 2.5 billion active Apple devices, that likely means hundreds of millions of people.
iVerify co-founder Matthias Frielingsdorf said: "The exploits will work out of the box," adding that "there is no iOS expertise required."
The code is plain HTML and JavaScript, which makes it easy to reuse.
How to protect yourself
- Update your iPhone: Apple released an emergency update on March 11 for devices that can't run the latest iOS.
- Lockdown Mode: if you can't update, turning on this setting blocks these attacks.
Our view
If an update is waiting on your iPhone, now is the time to install it.
Founder and editor-in-chief of Kurd Developers. Phone and tech news on YouTube, Instagram and TikTok.
More stories
One text can break your phone: Android's 'SMS of Death' explained
A flaw in Android 12 and later lets a specially crafted SMS drop calls and even make a phone unusable. The fix is in October's security patch.
GTA VI lands November 19: prices, editions and what to know
Rockstar has locked the date: Thursday, November 19 on PS5 and Xbox Series X|S. Standard costs $79.99 and Ultimate $99.99.
Apple's first touchscreen MacBook Pro brings OLED and Dynamic Island
The new PROLED XDR display responds to touch, the notch is gone and Dynamic Island takes its place. Prices start at $2,899.
The $1,999 iPhone Duo Has a Black-Bar Problem, and Fixing It Is Harder Than It Looks
Apple's first foldable is a hardware flex. But unfold it and many of your apps shrink into a phone-shaped window floating in black. Here's why the app world wasn't ready, and why developers can't just hit "stretch".