Apple urged iPhone users to update to the latest iOS following the discovery of a new hacking tool capable of stealing data.
The tool, named DarkSword, can silently infect iPhones and extract personal data, financial information, passwords, and iCloud content.
Cybersecurity firms Lookout and iVerify have also issued warnings regarding DarkSword. Google stated DarkSword affects iPhones running iOS versions 18.4 to 18.7.
DarkSword does not require installation on a phone; infection occurs by visiting a compromised website. Lookout stated DarkSword is not designed for ongoing surveillance but rather for rapid data collection and exfiltration.
“Once it finishes collecting and exfiltrating the targeted data, it deletes the files it created on the filesystem of the device and exits,” Lookout stated in a report. “Its dwell time on the device is likely in the range of minutes.”
Apple advised users to update their iOS to protect data. “Security researchers recently identified web-based attacks that target out-of-date versions of iOS through malicious web content,” Apple said.
Apple released a software update for iOS 15 and iOS 16 on March 11, 2026, to extend protection to older devices unable to update to the newest iOS version. Users on older devices (iOS 13 or iOS 14) will receive a “Critical Security Update.”
The company also stated that enabling Lockdown Mode can help protect against malicious threats.
