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DarkSword leak puts millions of iPhone users at risk

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Last week, researchers warned about a sophisticated iPhone hacking tool called DarkSword. Now the situation has escalated. A newer version of that tool has been leaked online and posted to a public code-sharing site. That changes everything. What was once limited to advanced attackers is now far easier to access and use. Security experts say this could quickly turn into a widespread threat, especially for people using older Apple software.

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DON’T IGNORE APPLE’S URGENT SECURITY UPDATE
 

Before the leak, tools like DarkSword required skill, resources and time. Now, much of that barrier is gone. The leaked version is surprisingly simple. It uses basic web technologies like HTML and JavaScript. That means someone with minimal experience could copy the code, host it and launch an attack in a short amount of time. Researchers say the exploits can work right away with little setup. No deep knowledge of iOS is required. That is the real shift here. The tool itself did not suddenly become more powerful. It became easier to use.

This is where the numbers get concerning. DarkSword targets iPhones and iPads running older operating systems, especially iOS 18 and earlier. According to Apple’s own data, a large share of active devices still falls into that group. With billions of Apple devices in use worldwide, that could leave hundreds of millions of users exposed. Apple says these attacks specifically target outdated versions of iOS, often through malicious links or compromised websites. If your device is not updated, it could be vulnerable.

This is not a minor nuisance. The leaked code includes instructions for pulling sensitive data directly from a device. Once it gains access, it can:

There are also references to activity that happens after the initial compromise, which suggests attackers can dig deeper once they are inside. In simple terms, this is full access to your digital life.

Apple has already addressed the issue for newer devices. The company pushed updates that block these attacks on current versions of iOS. It also released a security update for older devices that are unable to run the latest version of iOS. Apple says these attacks target out-of-date software and can be triggered through malicious links or compromised websites. If your iPhone is up to date, you are already protected. Apple also says keeping your software updated is the single most important step you can take to protect your device. Devices running the latest versions of iOS were not at risk from these attacks. For older devices, Apple released updates on March 11, 2026, to extend protections. Devices running iOS 13 or iOS 14 must update to iOS 15 to receive those protections. 

We reached out to Apple for comment, and the company pointed us to its official security guidance at support.apple.com/en-us/126776 for more details.

THOUSANDS OF IPHONE APPS EXPOSE DATA INSIDE APPLE APP STORE
 

If you have been putting off software updates, now is the time to stop. This situation shows how quickly a targeted threat can turn into a mass risk. Once tools like this are public, they spread fast. Even if you are not specifically being targeted, attackers can automatically scan for vulnerable iPhones and go after them in large numbers.

A quick check can make a big difference:

If this sounds concerning, it should. The good news is that there are a few simple steps that can significantly reduce your risk.

As I mentioned above, this is the most important step. Apple has already patched the vulnerability in newer versions of iOS. If your device is updated, you are protected from this specific attack.

Lockdown Mode is designed for high-risk situations, but anyone can use it. It limits certain features that attackers often rely on.

Go to SettingsPrivacy & SecurityLockdown Mode to enable it.

Keep in mind: Lockdown Mode is an extreme security setting. It restricts some apps, websites and features, and certain functions may not work as expected while it is turned on.

Many of these attacks rely on you to click on malicious links or open a compromised website. If you receive a strange link in a message or email, do not tap it. Also, use strong antivirus software to help detect malicious links and block suspicious activity before it can compromise your device. Get my picks for the best 2026 antivirus protection winners for your Windows, Mac, Android & iOS devices at Cyberguy.com

YOUR PHONE SHARES DATA AT NIGHT: HERE’S HOW TO STOP IT
 

Even if your iOS is current, outdated apps can still create security gaps. Regular updates close those openings.

If your personal information is already circulating online, it can make you an easier target. Data removal services help delete your details from data broker sites, which reduces the amount of information attackers can access in the first place. Check out my top picks for data removal services and get a free scan to find out if your personal information is already out on the web by visiting Cyberguy.com

Set a strong passcode, enable Face ID or Touch ID and avoid using public Wi-Fi without protection. These steps add another layer of defense.

Some identity theft companies can alert you if your personal data is exposed or being used without your knowledge. That can help you act faster if something goes wrong. See my tips and best picks on Best Identity Theft Protection at Cyberguy.com

This is one of those moments where a simple step makes a real difference. Keeping your phone updated is easy to put off, but it is one of the most effective ways to stay protected. When tools like DarkSword become widely available, outdated devices stand out as easy targets. This is real, and it is happening now. So, update your iPhone today.

So here is the bigger question. If a basic update can block a serious attack, what is stopping people from doing it? Let us know by writing to us at Cyberguy.com

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DUKE: The Asian Daniel Penny Shows Americans Are Embracing Taking Matters Into Their Own Hands

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That’s the key detail.
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From courts, critics and his own party, Donald Trump runs smack into reality

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President Trump hasn’t had a great week. I don’t think anyone can argue with that.

The man who has so utterly dominated the Republican Party has been forced to backtrack or reverse himself, in part because of on-the-record outrage by GOP lawmakers.

That involved his plan to create a $1.8-billion “anti-weaponization” fund, with most of it going to Jan. 6 rioters, who he calls patriots. The idea of rewarding people who attacked police officers, took over members’ quarters and chanted “Hang Mike Pence!” touched a very deep nerve (among the public as well).

When leaders of his own party, who usually roll over and play dead, started denouncing what some of them called a slush fund, Trump knew he had a loser on his hands and yesterday tried to cut his losses: He has officially killed the funding scheme. 

This, of course, grew out of his suit against the IRS, where Trump was definitely wronged by the leaking of his tax returns, but as president was “negotiating” with his subordinates.

Then there are the courts, where even the Supreme Court has not escaped Trump’s wrath on decisions he dislikes, such as striking down his unilateral global tariffs. He called out justices by name, branding them “fools and lapdogs,” a “disgrace” and an “embarrassment.”

Which brings us to the Kennedy Center fiasco.

A federal judge ordered that Trump’s name be removed from the glittering marble portico overlooking the Potomac River that had just been the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts. The judge temporarily blocked the two-year shutdown planned to begin this summer.

The president posted that unless he was in charge, he had “no interest in continuing what could only be a hopeless journey,” suggesting he would turn it over to Congress.

“Unfortunately, Judge Cooper and the Radical Left would rather see it DIE than have President Trump transform it into something that everyone could be proud of, much as I have done, in many cases, throughout my life,” he wrote.

Judge Christopher Cooper, setting a two-week deadline, said Trump’s renaming violated a 1964 law that made it “crystal clear” the institution was to be named for the assassinated president and that only Congress can change it.

I happen to think the center could remain open while partial refurbishing takes place, but of course no shows are booked at the moment.

The larger pattern is that many judges no longer trust the administration’s lawyers.

“Their missteps in court come as the department’s leadership takes an unusually combative tone with judges who rule against them,” The New York Times says.

A Trump Justice Department spokesperson said: “Any attack on the professionalism or integrity of DOJ attorneys is outrageous and unjustified.”

Finally, there is the court of public opinion for Trump, who turns 80 next month.

A lot of folks are upset about the design of the $250 bill featuring Trump’s visage. I don’t worry about that because I don’t plan on buying anything with a $250 note, but it hasn’t gone down well.

I don’t believe many people are wild about the surprise demolition of the East Wing, plans for a 250-foot arch, or the obsession with building a White House ballroom. That was originally going to be paid for by private donations, but now Congress wants to appropriate $1 billion in taxpayer dollars — kind of bait and switch.

The Iran War, whose settlement “talks” have been blown up by mutual attacks, is increasingly unpopular. A PBS/Marist poll last month found that 60 percent of those questioned disapprove of the war and overall are frustrated by soaring food and gas costs.

RELATED: TRUMP INSISTS IRAN TALKS ARE ON, SAYING DEAL IS ‘NOT A SIMPLE THING’

As for the July 4 celebration, so many musicians, including Milli Vanilli, Flo Rida and Young MC, dropped out that the president canceled the concert and will turn it into a MAGA rally featuring … him.

Look, Donald Trump has always been at the center of his own narrative. He’s a born performer, dating back to “The Apprentice” days.

RELATED: TRUMP REVEALS NEW WHCA DINNER VENUE AFTER SHOOTING CHAOS DERAILED GALA

I’ve interviewed Trump numerous times, and he can sit for an hour and rattle off answers on a vast array of subjects, including stuff from 40 years ago. So any talk that he’s on the verge of dementia is utter BS by uninformed critics. But he does seem less sure-footed right now.

Physically, the worst you can say about Trump is that he’s got swollen ankles and sometimes closes his eyes in meetings.

Trump is full speed ahead — that’s what he knows. Where he comes off as angry and overheated is in the barrage of late-night and early-morning Truth Social posts in which he rails against his opponents.

Hey, you don’t really expect an 80-year-old man to change, do you?

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Hilton, Becerra, in the lead with votes still being counted in battle for California governor

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HUNTINGTON BEACH, CA – Republican Steve Hilton and Democrat Xavier Becerra were leading in unofficial early returns Wednesday morning and appeared positioned to advance to the November California gubernatorial election in the race to succeed term-limited Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom in steering the nation’s most populous state and one of the world’s largest economies.

Hilton, a one-time British political strategist turned American conservative commentator and former Fox News Channel host who is backed by President Donald Trump, and Becerra, a former California attorney general who later served as a Cabinet secretary in former President Biden’s administration, were in the lead early Wednesday morning, with votes still being counted and results not yet certified.

“Change is coming to California, and it’s long overdue,” Hilton told supporters at his primary night watch party in Orange County.

Hilton, in an exclusive Fox News Digital interview following his speech, said speaking “honest, simple truths” to voters boosted his campaign. “Everything is too expensive in California. We’re going to cut people’s costs,” he pledged.

CLICK HERE FOR THE LATEST PRIMARY RESULTS FROM FOX NEWS 

Becerra, who, if elected in November, would make history as California’s first Latino governor since Romualdo Pacheco briefly served in 1875, told supporters that his campaign’s success is “more than a Hollywood ending. More than a milestone. That’s the everyday miracle of living in a state that makes the improbable seem inevitable. And I couldn’t have done it without you.”

Democrat-dominated California holds what’s known as a jungle primary in which all candidates, regardless of party affiliation, appear on the same ballot, with the top two finishers advancing to the general election.

Tom Steyer, a billionaire hedge fund founder turned environmental activist who unsuccessfully ran for his party’s 2020 presidential nomination and who has shelled out over $200 million of his own money in his bid for governor, was in third place as the results continued to be tabulated and as additional mail and provisional ballots remained to be counted.

Riverside County Sheriff Chad Bianco, a Republican, as well as Democratic candidates former Democratic Rep. Katie Porter, San Jose Mayor Matt Mahan, former Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa and state Superintendent of Public Instruction Tony Thurmond, were also among the whopping 61 candidates on the ballot.

Hilton is hoping to become the first California Republican to win a gubernatorial election since then-Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger’s 2006 re-election.

In his speech, Hilton showed off the lining of his blazer, with American and California flags, that he said Schwarzenegger a few years ago urged him to wear. “Arnold, I did that for you,” Hilton said.

DEMOCRACY ’26: STAY UP TO DATE WITH THE FOX NEWS ELECTION HUB

Former Vice President Kamala Harris and Sen. Alex Padilla mulled launching Democratic bids for governor, but both last year announced they would take a pass. That resulted in the lack of a clear Golden State gubernatorial frontrunner for the first time in more than a quarter-century.

And the race was overshadowed for much of last year, as the devastation from the Los Angeles-area wildfires and President Donald Trump’s immigration raids grabbed headlines in California.

But the showdown for governor entered the spotlight earlier this year when one of the leading candidates, Democratic Rep. Eric Swalwell, dropped out of the race and then resigned from Congress after facing multiple allegations of sexual assault and misconduct that he continues to deny.

Swalwell’s exit from the race opened the door for first Steyer and then Becerra to rise in the polls.

Steyer, who unsuccessfully ran for the 2020 Democratic presidential nomination, spent more than $200 million of his own money to blanket the airwaves and the internet with ads. Meanwhile, more than $80 million in outside money has also been spent on the race.

Bianco, who launched his campaign for governor in April of last year, was among the top contenders in the race until Trump’s endorsement of Hilton in early April appeared to blunt his momentum.

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