Apple releases security patch for older iPhones and iPads to block DarkSword attacks: Here’s how to update

Apple has pushed an unusual security update to iPhones and iPads still running iOS 18, expanding protection against a web-based hacking toolkit known as DarkSword that has already been used to compromise devices across multiple countries.

The update — iOS 18.7.7 and iPadOS 18.7.7 — allows a broader range of devices to receive protection from DarkSword, a toolkit that can break into an iPhone simply by a user visiting a compromised website. The exploits steal device data including messages, browser history, location data, and cryptocurrency, uploading it to attacker-controlled servers.