Apple Issues Critical Update for Older iPhone Models Running iOS 18 to Address DarkSword Exploit

Apple on Thursday released a new critical update for older iPhone and iPad models. The update aims to protect users against a growing threat that targeted Apple users running older devices. Rolled out as iOS 18.7.7 and iPadOS 18.7.7, it targets Apple devices that are either unable to upgrade to the latest iOS 26 or have not yet been updated. The move comes after security researchers warned that attackers could easily repurpose the leaked DarkSword toolkit to target vulnerable devices, and it was spotted on open-source code-sharing platforms.

Apple Issues Critical Update

Apple announced that it enabled the availability of iOS 18.7.7 and iPadOS 18.7.7 on April 1 via its security releases page. The updates, rolled out for iPhone and iPad, respectively, allow more Apple devices to receive critical protections against web-based attacks linked to DarkSword. The company said these fixes were originally introduced in 2025 but are now being extended to a broader range of devices.

The toolkit, notably, has reportedly been used in targeted attacks across countries such as China, Malaysia, Turkey, Saudi Arabia, and Ukraine. Following its recent leak on GitHub, researchers have warned that the barrier to entry for attackers has significantly lowered, allowing even less sophisticated actors to deploy the exploit.

The Cupertino-based tech giant notes that devices running the latest iOS 26 firmware were already protected against DarkSword. The update, however, ensures that users who have not upgraded, including those who chose to avoid newer interface changes like the Liquid Glass, remain protected, too.

The company added that users with Automatic Updates enabled should receive the patch automatically. Further, Apple's Lockdown Mode is claimed to offer protection against such attacks. It is, notably, an optional high-security feature that was released with iOS 16 in 2022 and is available on older firmware like iOS 18.

What is DarkSword Spyware?

The DarkSword spyware is an iOS full-chain exploit that leverages multiple zero-day (undiscovered) vulnerabilities to completely compromise devices. It was recently made available as a toolkit on code-sharing platforms, linking together several bugs to move from a web page to full control of the phone.

DarkSword is designed to extract sensitive data from compromised devices, according to security researchers. It can access contacts, messages, call history, and data stored in the iOS Keychain, including passwords and other credentials, and transmit this information to attacker-controlled servers.