Apple releases iOS 18 security update for all iPhone users, update now

As promised, Apple has released a new version of iOS 18 for all iPhone users. The update comes in response to the growing proliferation of a new exploit chain known as DarkSword.

Today’s update comes in the form of a new build of iOS 18.7.7 with build number 22H340 for all iPhone models.

New iOS 18 security update now available

As we detailed last month, DarkSword is an exploit chain affecting iOS 18.4 through iOS 18.7 that was discovered by the Google Threat Intelligence Group, or GTIG. According to the GTIG, there are “multiple commercial surveillance vendors and suspected state-sponsored actors utilizing DarkSword in distinct campaigns.” It works by chaining multiple exploits together.

Apple first responded to DarkSword by releasing new versions of iOS 18, but only for iPhone models that can’t run iOS 26. This update came in the form of iOS 18.7.7 and iPadOS 18.7.7 for iPhone XS, iPhone XS Max, iPhone XR, and iPad (7th generation).

There are, however, iPhone users with a device that can run iOS 26, but who have chosen not to update. These people remain exposed to the DarkSword exploit, as the last iOS 18 update released for all iPhones was iOS 18.7.3 in December.

As such, today’s iOS 18 update is available for all iPhones still running iOS 18, whether they are supported by iOS 26 or not.

As Wired explains, this is something in the security industry referred to as “backporting a patch.”

Criticism of Apple’s lack of backported patches for iOS 18 had grown over the past two weeks, as DarkSword proliferated among hacker groups that have used the tool for everything from espionage to cryptocurrency theft. According to Google, DarkSword has been used by various hacker groups to break into the iPhones of users in Malaysia, Saudi Arabia, Turkey, and Ukraine.

iPhone users who have auto-update enabled will automatically receive this iOS 18 update. In a statement to Wired on Tuesday, Apple said that it is releasing this update “so users with auto-update enabled can automatically receive important security protections.”

“We encourage all users with supported devices to update to iOS 26 to receive our most advanced protections,” Apple said.

Apple released the first batch of iOS 26 adoption numbers in February, saying that iOS 26 is installed on 74% of iPhones released in the last four years.

iPhone users can head to the Settings app, choose General, then choose Software Update to install today’s iOS 18 security update. The update should be installed automatically if you have auto-update enabled on your device.

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