Apple is urging iPhone users to update their devices following new cybersecurity research revealing that Russian intelligence-linked actors, Chinese cybercriminals, and other threat groups have deployed sophisticated exploit kits nicknamed DarkSword and Coruna to compromise phones running outdated versions of iOS.
The tools — detailed this month in coordinated reports from Google Threat Intelligence Group, iVerify, and Lookout — function as powerful exploit chains that grant attackers deep remote access, enabling them to extract extensive personal data from victims’ devices, including messages, call logs, location history, credentials, browser data, and even cryptocurrency wallet contents.
An Apple spokesperson emphasized that these exploits only affect devices on older iOS versions, with the vulnerabilities fully addressed in recent updates (such as iOS 26.3 and later patches). Keeping software current remains the most effective defense for maintaining device security.
On Wednesday, iVerify wrote in a news release: “DarkSword appears to be a surveillance and intelligence gathering tool, blanket pulling data including Wi-Fi passwords, text messages, call history, root location history, browser history, SIM card and cellular data as well as health, notes and calendar databases.”
An Apple spokesperson, Sarah O’Rourke, said that the two tools can only work against devices running older versions of Apple’s operating system, reinforcing the need for people to regularly apply updates.
“Keeping software up to date remains the single most important thing users can do to maintain the high security of their Apple devices,” she said.
Apple’s latest operating system, iOS 26, was released in September and protects users against both hacking campaigns, according to the company. Last week, Apple made the unusual move of releasing a special update for iPhone users with older devices that cannot handle fully upgrading to iOS 26, specifically to block hackers from using the hacking tools…
Hacking an iPhone is still a significant technical challenge, and the two campaigns rely on a complicated chain of hacks that work in tandem to take over a phone.
MacDailyNews Take: To update iOS on your iPhone, goto Settings > General > Software Update. Your current iOS version will display, along with any available updates. If an update is available, tap Download and Install (or Install Now if already downloaded).
Info about the security content of iOS 15.8.7 and iPadOS 15.8.7 via Apple Support is here.
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