Apple has urgently pushed security updates to many older iPhones and iPads in recent days. The purpose is to prevent a set of powerful hacking tools leaked to the Internet from continuing to invade unupdated devices and steal sensitive data. This wave of updates highlights the rapid spread of security threats to mobile devices and reminds users who are still stuck on older versions of the system to upgrade as soon as possible.
Apple releases security fixes for older iPhones and iPads to protect against DarkSword attacks
Apple announced the official launch of iOS 18.7.7 and iPadOS 18.7.7 on Wednesday, emphasizing that the core goal of this update is to allow more devices that have not been upgraded to the latest system to obtain critical protection against “DarkSword” attacks. DarkSword is a recently exposed hacking toolkit that can penetrate devices without users noticing. As long as the victim visits a website containing malicious code, even if the website is originally legitimate and trustworthy but has been compromised, the attack will begin automatically.
Once successfully penetrated, DarkSword can extract a large amount of personal information, including text message content, browsing history, location information, and even cryptocurrency wallet-related information, and quietly upload this information to a server controlled by the hacker. Since the attack process does not require users to download any files or click on suspicious links, it is more hidden and more difficult to prevent.
Security researchers pointed out that DarkSword has been used in previous attacks against users in China, Malaysia, Türkiye, Saudi Arabia and Ukraine. However, the risk has expanded dramatically as the entire toolkit has been leaked online, allowing anyone to obtain it and use it to attack devices still stuck on older versions of iOS. Apple said that users running the latest version of iOS 26 have been protected for weeks, but there are still a large number of older devices that cannot be upgraded to iOS 26, so it is simultaneously rolling out additional updates to the iOS 18 series for these devices to ensure that they are also resistant to DarkSword attacks.
It is worth noting that this update also targets another group of users who “can upgrade but choose not to upgrade.” Some users have delayed updating due to dissatisfaction with the new “Liquid Glass” interface introduced in iOS 26, leaving their devices exposed to vulnerabilities for a long time. Apple’s initiative to patch these devices that are still stuck on iOS 18 is equivalent to filling the security gap for millions of unpatched devices.
according to Wired’s earlier report, Apple has been preparing for this update for a long time, and has accelerated the release schedule after confirming that the DarkSword toolkit was leaked. Users who enable automatic updates should receive update notifications in the near future. Apple also emphasized again that its enhanced security feature “Lockdown Mode” can effectively block DarkSword-type attacks. This feature was originally designed for high-risk groups, such as journalists, politicians, or human rights workers, but ordinary users can also choose to enable it. Apple told TechCrunch last week, there have been no observed cases of government-level spyware attacks that successfully broke through the “lockdown mode”.
Overall, this incident once again highlights the importance of mobile device security. As attack tools become easier to obtain and the threshold for attack becomes lower and lower, keeping the system updated is no longer just a recommendation, but a necessary self-protection measure. For users who are still stuck on the old version of iOS, this update is undoubtedly a key line of defense to avoid data leakage.
Source: KOCPC Chinese