Apple issues urgent security fix — update your iPhone now to stay safe

Earlier, iOS 18.7.7 was available only for the iPhone X series models. But now, it is available for all iPhone models that cannot download iOS 26.

If you have an iPhone still running iOS 18, we have a piece of news that you shouldn’t ignore. Apple has released iOS 18.7.7 for iPhones. This new software update fixes vulnerabilities that could lead your iPhone to fall prey to the ‘DarkSword’ exploit that has targeted Apple devices across the globe.

iOS 18.7.7 fixes vulnerabilities that were used by DarkSword exploit. (Pexels)

By Shweta Ganjoo

Shweta Ganjoo is a Chief Content Producer at HT Tech. She has over 10 years of experience covering technology, during which time she has focused on consumer tech devices, AI, social media, gadgets, and tech policy, delivering authoritative and reader-focused insights across India’s fast-evolving digital ecosystem.

She began her career in the early 2010s, building a strong foundation in digital-first reporting as India’s tech landscape rapidly expanded. Over the years, she has worked with leading media organizations including India Today Tech, Indian Express Group, and Techlusive, where she played a key role in scaling editorial content and audience engagement. At HT Tech, she drives product recommendation coverage, combining newsroom leadership with hands-on reporting experience.

Her expertise spans smartphones, wearables, smart home devices, AI, and social media ecosystems, along with regulatory developments shaping the tech industry. Shweta is known for her analytical approach to product reviews and news coverage, grounded in hands-on testing and real-world usability. She has conducted industry interviews, tracked emerging tech trends, and produced research-backed stories using verified sources and expert inputs. She holds a masters in Mass Communication, which complements her professional experience in digital journalism and content strategy, and aligns with her academic background in technology. Shweta follows a reader-first editorial philosophy, prioritising accuracy, transparency, and fact-checked reporting to deliver reliable, insightful, and practical insights.

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What is DarkSword and why is it dangerous?

For the unversed, DarkSword is a highly sophisticated ‘1-click’ exploit that targets iOS versions 18.4 through iOS 18.7. Google says that it uses six different vulnerabilities from three different malware families, Ghostblade, Ghostknife and Ghostsaber, to deliver the final malware payload on the targeted device. Unlike other exploits that require a malicious app to be installed on the targeted device, DarkSword can be triggered on the targeted iPhone simply by the user visiting an infected website on Safari web browser.

Once the targeted iPhone has visited an infected website, the exploit can easily steal sensitive information from the device. The information that can be stolen by this exploit includes – browser history, SIM card data, cellular data, Wi-Fi password, text messages, health data, call history, notes, root location history and calendar bases.

As of now, DarkSword has been used to target iPhone users in Ukraine, Saudi Arabia, Turkey and Malaysia. You can read more about DarkSword exploit on iPhones here: Think your iPhone is secure? This new iOS 18 hack may change that

Why download the iOS 18.7.7 update?

Apple’s iOS 18.7.7 update fixes vulnerabilities, which the DarkSword exploit uses to target iPhone users. Earlier, this update was available only for the iPhone XS, the iPhone XS Max, and the iPhone XR. But on April 1, 2026, Apple made this update available for more iPhone models. The list includes the iPhone 11 series, 2nd generation iPhone SE, the iPhone 12 series, the iPhone 13 series, 3rd generation iPhone SE, the iPhone 14 series, iPhone 15 series, the iPhone 16 series and the iPhone 16e.

“We enabled the availability of iOS 18.7.7 for more devices on April 1, 2026, so users with Automatic Updates turned on can automatically receive important security protections from web attacks called DarkSword. The fixes associated with the DarkSword exploit first shipped in 2025,” Apple wrote in its official blog post.

It is worth mentioning that the iPhone models running the iOS 26 are already protected against this exploit. With the iOS 18.7.7 update, Apple has rolled out protections to iPhone models that can’t upgrade to iOS 26 or don’t want to upgrade to the latest version of the company’s OS.