New iPhone Hack Tool Puts Millions of Devices at Risk
▼ Summary
– A new iPhone hacking technique called DarkSword is being deployed via infected websites to indiscriminately compromise thousands of devices.
– The exploit can instantly and silently hack iPhones running older iOS 18 versions, affecting nearly a quarter of all devices.
– Hundreds of millions of users with older devices or software remain vulnerable to having their personal data stolen simply by visiting a website.
– DarkSword was used by a Russian state-sponsored espionage group and embedded in legitimate Ukrainian websites, including news and government sites.
– This campaign follows the recent discovery of another sophisticated hacking toolkit called Coruna, used by the same Russian actors.
A new and highly accessible hacking tool has emerged, posing a significant threat to millions of iPhone users worldwide. This development marks a dangerous shift in cyber threats, moving from highly targeted attacks to widespread, indiscriminate campaigns. Security experts warn that this tool, now easily deployed on compromised websites, can silently take over devices, putting personal data at immense risk for anyone using an outdated operating system.
Researchers from Google, iVerify, and Lookout have identified this sophisticated technique, dubbed DarkSword. It operates by exploiting vulnerabilities in older iOS versions. When an iPhone user visits an infected website, the tool can instantly and silently compromise the device without any interaction from the user. While the latest iOS updates are protected, the hack successfully targets devices running the previous iOS 18 release. Apple’s own data indicates that nearly a quarter of all iPhones were still using this version as of last month, highlighting the scale of the potential threat.
Rocky Cole, iVerify’s cofounder and CEO, emphasized the severity of the situation. He stated that a vast number of iOS users could have all their personal information stolen simply by browsing a popular but compromised site. Hundreds of millions of people using older Apple devices or outdated operating systems remain vulnerable to this attack.
The discovery of DarkSword follows closely on the heels of another sophisticated toolkit known as Coruna, which was linked to a Russian state-sponsored espionage group. Although developed separately, researchers found that DarkSword was also utilized by the same Russian operatives. In a similar pattern of operation, the tool was embedded within components of legitimate Ukrainian websites, including online news portals and a government agency site. These compromised platforms were used to harvest sensitive data from the phones of unsuspecting visitors, demonstrating a clear escalation in the weaponization of common web infrastructure for large-scale espionage.
(Source: Ars Technica)
