There’s an Easy Way to Stay Safe From the New ‘DarkSword’ iPhone Hackers
Cybersecurity researchers from Google’s Threat Intelligence Group and two cybersecurity companies, Lookout and iVerify, this week identified a new hacking toolkit that leaves iPhone owners’ data vulnerable. The toolkit, called DarkSword, differs from other forms of spyware and malware.
DarkSword does not use phishing texts or emails, nor does it force you to download suspicious apps to allow hackers to access your device. It operates through infected websites, the Google report says, including those designed to look like Snapchat and government vendor sites. After browsing these sites, the spyware may be activated and your information is in danger.
So far, attacks have been limited to people outside the United States, including Saudi Arabia, Turkey, Malaysia and Ukraine, according to Google.
DarkSword is “very sophisticated,” Lookout said in its report. It works by “establishing[ing] Executing privileged code to access and exfiltrate sensitive information from the device. “DarkSword is not designed for continuous monitoring, but it can access a variety of data, including your messages, iCloud content, and even crypto wallets.
Google said it was used by “multiple commercial surveillance service providers and suspected state-sponsored actors.”
In a support page published Thursday, Apple said: “We have thoroughly investigated these issues as they have been discovered and have released software updates as quickly as possible for the most recent versions of the operating system to address the vulnerabilities and stop such attacks.”
Google said in its report that it contacted Apple in late 2025 with its findings.
Researchers found that the vulnerable phones were running versions of the software from last year, including iOS 18.4 to 18.7. This isn’t the case for all phones, but as Apple’s own data confirms, around a fifth of iPhone owners are still using iOS 18, potentially leaving millions vulnerable.
Keep your iPhone software up to date
Even though Apple has applied patches behind the scenes, you still need to take steps to ensure your iPhone is secure. It’s a simple but necessary step to protect your phone from external threats: update your iOS software.
“I always recommend people update their iPhone to the latest iOS software as soon as possible,” said CNET iOS expert Zachary McAuliffe. “Updates usually include new features, but more importantly, they often fix security issues. Delaying an update means bad actors could exploit a vulnerability in your iPhone, putting your personal data and system security at risk.”
Apple said people who have updated their phone’s software are already protected. Google said iOS 26.3, the latest software updateincludes fixes to prevent DarkSword attacks, just like previous updates. And iOS 26.3.1(a)A minor security-focused update to the core software was released on Wednesday.
To update your iPhone software, go to Settings > General > Software Update. If an update is available, you will be asked to download and install it.
Some older iPhone models may not be able to run iOS 26. Check out our guide to see if your phone is included.
If you’re not eligible for iOS 26, Apple urges iPhone users to update their software to at least iOS 15, which provides protection for older iPhones. The company also says you may want to consider enabling Lockdown Mode to protect against malicious web content and other threats.
