Andrew20h ago
evacide
If you have an iPhone, today is a good day to make sure you are running the latest software. https://techcrunch.com/2026/03/23/someone-has-publicly-leaked-an-exploit-kit-that-can-hack-millions-of-iphones/
Someone has publicly leaked an exploit kit that can hack millions of iPhones | TechCrunch

Leaked "DarkSword" exploits published to GitHub allow hackers and cybercriminals to target iPhone users running old versions of iOS with spyware, according to cybersecurity researchers.

TechCrunch
Mar 23 at 9:55pmWeb
Show threadAlbert Cardona23h ago

@evacide

And lockdown mode, as inconvenient as it can be at times.

Show threadrpgwaiter23h ago
@evacide dude yes, new jailbreak! It's been so long, almost makes me wanna get a newer iphone on iOS 18
Show threadTyrone Slothrop22h ago
@evacide Jesus fuck, I just updated yesterday. Does that count?
Show threadNicolai von Neudeck22h ago
@slothrop in the article it says „old iOS versions“, not the latest 26.3.1
Show threadArratoon22h ago
@evacide Is this a ruse to get people to upgrade to the dogshit ios26? 🤔
Show threadThe Orange Theme22h ago
@evacide Fuuuuuck. Guess I'm upgrading to Liquid Ass after all... I think this is my last smartphone.
Show threadozeng22h ago

@theorangetheme @evacide last Apple one, certainly.

A rooted Android with clean (no bloatware) control is still viable IMO.

Throwing it in the lake and living in the woods is also viable IMO

Show threadThe Orange Theme22h ago

@ozeng @evacide I would consider GrapheneOS, on one of the Motorola devices they're going to support, maybe, but some of my disdain is also just for smartphones in general.

Moving to the woods is very attractive.

Show threadThe Orange Theme22h ago
@ozeng @evacide Update: oh my God, this is so bad.
Show threadMooMoo the Cat15h ago
@theorangetheme @ozeng @evacide It took me 2 weeks to stop gritting my teeth. I'm kind of used to it now.
Show threadLJ 🏴14h ago
@theorangetheme @ozeng @evacide Motorola is Chinese and China is well known to introduce hardware backdoors in their devices, (like NSA do with US brands but worst). You will be safer with a not China, not USA brand.
And Motorola is more known for limited updates (after promising long term) and bad security, I don't understand why the GrapheneOS team choose them, it's stupid to choose a China company, especially this one.
Show threadEarthshine22h ago
@evacide big yikes on this one... seems we have a whole fleet that needs an emergency update now.
Show threadmirabilos22h ago
@evacide there’s no iOS 18 update though…
Show threadmirabilos22h ago
@evacide someone is a bit overconfident there 😹 (I’m trying to get them to release an updated 18 for a device that could run 26 because fuck 26)
Show threadwyatt22h ago
@mirabilos @evacide my newest icrap runs on ios 10 i think
Show threadmirabilos22h ago

@wyatt @evacide I know they have some other method for filing change requests for the OS, but not where (I have only basic knowledge of the Apple ecosystem)… this is not getting me anywhere (as expected), just deflecting, not even agreeing to forward to seniors

they already have the damn code, and they already publish updates for 18 for other devices already, and fucking nobody wants 26, so…

Show threadmirabilos21h ago

@evacide @wyatt meanwhile, Lockdown Mode, I guess. (Is there a lighter way to block this, like a Safari advanced pref?)

First-level person gave me a (at least toll-free) number to call tomorrow, refused to even escalate. They were very overconfident, it turns out :p

Show threadmirabilos21h ago
@evacide @wyatt the article says that about 625 mio. devices still run 18; I guess everyone ought to call them and request the 18 fix they are doing anyway to be published for their device as well 😼
Show threadJP16h ago
@mirabilos @evacide it’d be nice if you could manage that because yeah urgh @ 26 and their forced denial of 18.x upgrades (even though supposedly long-standing policy) is just so problematic
Show threadmirabilos16h ago
@froztbyte @evacide contact them as well, do a support request and fill the https://www.apple.com/feedback/iphone/ form, the more requests they get, the better
Feedback - iPhone

Apple wants to hear from you. Send us your comments and feedback about iPhone.

Apple
Show threadIan Hill21h ago

@mirabilos @evacide this article suggests 18 is ok - https://www.bitdefender.com/en-us/blog/hotforsecurity/update-ios-protect-data-patch-coruna-darksword-exploits

“Devices with the latest, updated versions of iOS 15 through iOS 26 are already protected.”

Apple Urges Users to Patch iPhones Against Coruna and DarkSword Exploits

Apple is asking iPhone users to prioritize the latest security updates amid a wave of hacker attacks exploiting weaknesses in ‘out-of-date’ versions of iOS.

Hot for Security
Show threadmirabilos21h ago

@IanHill @evacide there hasn’t been an 18 update for most devices for months, in an attempt to force everyone on the devices that can run it to ugly-Rohrkrepierer‡-26

‡) nōn-starter, wasteful failure

Show threadRosano15h ago
@mirabilos @IanHill @evacide odd how it says on apple's releases page that coruna was patched in 2023 and is now only being brought to older versions of iOS https://support.apple.com/en-ca/126646
About the security content of iOS 16.7.15 and iPadOS 16.7.15 - Apple Support (CA)

This document describes the security content of iOS 16.7.15 and iPadOS 16.7.15.

Apple Support
Show threadmirabilos15h ago
@rosano @IanHill @evacide hm, the/an article says it “works out of the box” and is being used to target iOS 18 devices “now”
Show threadmirabilos15h ago
@rosano @IanHill @evacide but still, missing at least 4 patchlevels already for the SE 2022; this sucks
Show threadwaldi14h ago
@mirabilos @rosano @IanHill @evacide So you can upgrade. If you choose not to, your problem.
Show threadmirabilos8h ago
@IanHill @rosano @waldi @evacide no, UI-wise I cannot, these transparency effects make it unusable for me
Show threadwaldi8h ago

@mirabilos @IanHill @rosano @evacide So you technically can. Thank you for the confirmation.

Now I try to find screenshots again of 18, and I don't see much difference. To be exact, I have no transparency anymore at all on this 26.4.

Show threadjarinks14h ago
@IanHill @mirabilos @evacide so much misinfo here 15 to 26.0.1 are VULNERABLE
Show threadeobet22h ago
@evacide not even THAT will make me become a liquid glasshole user. I'm holding onto ios 17 until I can get my hands on a Linux phone! 🤣
Show threadMick Collins22h ago
@evacide Is it just me, or does this not seem to happen every time there's an iPhone upgrade with slow consumer uptake? "Oh, you better upgrade now, there's a GIANT hacker exploit!"
Show threadTattered21h ago
@mick_collins @evacide My thoughts exactly.
Show threadBussphomet22h ago

@evacide

Another day being glad I never spent money on one ever

Show threadParth Parikh22h ago
@evacide what phone do you use?
Show threadAlainPetit7721h ago
bahahaha

Im still on iOS 17.7.1…

Apple is at 26.3.1

Fear porn pusher…

Be afraid…

No fear when GOD is near…
Show threadPete's Mom 🍉 🇺🇦 ☮️20h ago
@evacide
Unfortunately, like many iphone owners, I have an old phone that I have no intention of converting to a newer version. Therefore, I haven't been able to load updates for about 2 years now because, even if I delete or download everything I can (I have VERY few apps on my phone) it doesn't have "space" to do any further upgrades.
Any recs for this situation?
Show threadnorkler19h ago
@Petesmom @evacide You might be able to update it by plugging it into a computer and doing it that way rather than OTA
Show threadtrystimuli18h ago
@evacide either that, or today is a good day to jailbreak your phone.
Show threadJustin Derrick18h ago
@evacide Is iOS 26 any good yet? I’ve heard of tons of bugs. A friend upgraded this weekend, and lost three months of calendar entries with no explanation at all.
Show threadMooMoo the Cat15h ago
@JustinDerrick @evacide 😱
Show threadErika14h ago

@JustinDerrick It works fine on my phone, no hickups - the optics, however ... I really don't like this liquid glass. And I still struggle with the search field that has moved to the bottom of the screen.

@evacide

Show threadwaldi14h ago
@Erika @JustinDerrick @evacide You can disable a lot of that transparency and 26.4 dialed it back a lot.
Show threadErika14h ago
@waldi @JustinDerrick @evacide I have reduced the liquid effect as much as I could. Waiting for 26.4...
Show threadjarinks14h ago
@evacide PSA: IOS 15 to 26.0.1 are vulnerable
Show threadOrtwin Pinke13h ago

@evacide
If u have an #iphone then today is a good day to choose a free smartphone with opensource rom.

#did #diday

Show threadClaudius12h ago
@oldperl @evacide got any serviceable suggestions?
Show threadOrtwin Pinke12h ago

@claudius @evacide

#fairphone
👇
---
We are Fairphone. Our journey so far.
https://shop.fairphone.com/about-us

We are Fairphone. Our journey so far.

We’re disrupting the industry by changing how our devices are built and produced. It’s only fair.

Fairphone
Show threadClaudius12h ago

@oldperl @evacide which firmware, specifically would you put on it that is both free/open source and serviceable?

If it's google's default one, it's not really free. If it's PostmarketOS, it's not running on halfway current hardware (FP4 is the latest supported one, hardware from 2020 that wasn't exactly "good" at release)

Also with the track record that Fairphone has for security updates, I don't think this is a good suggestion for replacing a relatively secure iPhone, either?

Show threadOrtwin Pinke11h ago

@claudius @evacide

#iphone - secure?! 😂
Good joke!

Next u wanna tell me that apple is respecting #eprivacy. 🤭

No, bigtech is what it is, only a money machine for the rich and a data robber using our private things to manipulate us.

We have to leave that shit just now, finding better solution and go straightforward to foss.

#did #diday

Show threadClaudius11h ago
@oldperl @evacide I would love to switch to a FOSS phone, which is why I (genuinely) asked for your suggestion. All I know about are solutions that "sort of" work on ancient hardware or that are not actually all that independent from Google.
Show threadOrtwin Pinke10h ago

@claudius @evacide

Well, linux OSes are, but the dont exist for much hardware. I have LineageOS on my Samsung tablet without gapps that works pretty smart. But there are missing often foss apps not using google libs.

Thats why i am always searching for alternatives also for android and hardware to use without proprietary rom.

Show threadClaudius10h ago

@oldperl @evacide Lineage has been my "least bad" option for a while, too. I'm considering the upcoming Motorola/GrapheneOS phone, too. But in either case I don't really like the amount of dependency on Google they all still have.

I really feel like there are no *good* options right now :-(

Show threadAndreas11h ago
@claudius @oldperl @evacide I have a Fairphone 5 and receive security updates every month with the official OS. Not sure which track record you mean. Regarding ROMs, I am considering /e/OS and iode OS. I would in general prefer GrapheneOS, but the Pixel Phones are a bit expensive if you need storage... Even refurbished. So I think everyone has to make their own decision.
Show threadClaudius11h ago
@cvap @oldperl @evacide It seems to have gotten better with the monthly security patches. There was a time when they were much further behind (3-4 months sometimes). That said, as far as I know the FP5 is still on Linux kernel 5.4 which is no longer maintained.
Show threadAndreas10h ago

@claudius @oldperl @evacide the kernel seems to be behind, yes. At least this is what I see in termux. I am not sure which abstractions it uses, though.

I am generally not a big fan of android and iOS, I am also considering trying #Sailfish or something else #Linux based (preferable with gnome). I'd use another phone for android / banking stuff then. If anyone knows a good source for #UX details where I could get some real impression of how good it would work, that would be awesome.

Show threadAndreas10h ago

@claudius @oldperl @evacide there is a unofficial list of Operating Systems for all #Fairphone s maintained here: https://forum.fairphone.com/t/operating-systems-for-fairphones/11425

Summary for FP5: postmarketOS is still not there, it seems Sailfish is the only "pure" #Linux option? But at least there are multiple android options to choose from. Well. With Kiss launcher you get a decent experience on android.

✏ Operating Systems for Fairphones

✏ This is a <span class="hashtag-icon-placeholder"></span>wiki</span> post and a list of all <span class="hashtag-icon-placeholder"></span>dic:operatingsystem</span> that can be installed on the following Fairphone models (wikipedia OS list can be found here however this is not Fairphone specific): Fairphone 1(U)    Fairphone OS Fairphone 2    Fairphone OS    Fairphone Open OS    /e/OS    Lineage OS    Sailfish OS    Ubuntu Touch Fairphone 3(+)    Fairphone OS    /e/OS    Lineage OS    Lineage OS for MicroG    Ubuntu Touch    iodéOS    GSI Image    PixelExtended    LeOS ...

Fairphone Community Forum
Show threadaaron9h ago
@cvap @claudius @oldperl @evacide Thank you for by accident reminding me to find a cheap fairphone for testing my apps :P
Show threadAndreas10h ago
@claudius @oldperl @evacide I should add to this: the Fairphone is also not cheap. And if you care about some technical details, a Pixel may be the better choice. If you care about storage, the Fairphone has an SD card slot. More storage can mean less dependence on cloud services. So... lots of considerations, depending on your nerd factor and hobbies.
Show thread10-volt ._.8h ago
@oldperl @evacide errm actchally its not free i checked and is costs £479
Show thread768kB 🚴☕🇬🇧🇺🇦🇵🇸12h ago
@evacide If you’re running iOS 18.7.3 or later, or the latest 26, you're fine. https://tidbits.com/2026/03/23/darksword-exploit-threatens-iphones-still-running-ios-18/
DarkSword Exploit Threatens iPhones Still Running iOS 18 - TidBITS

Security researchers have discovered DarkSword, a sophisticated exploit chain targeting iOS 18.4 through 18.7.2. Unlike past spyware aimed at high-profile targets, DarkSword is being surreptitiously deployed on legitimate websites against ordinary users.

TidBITS