Apple has extended security updates to a wider range of devices still running iOS 18, aiming to protect users from the DarkSword exploit kit.
This is not the first time Apple has backported fixes for older devices based on vulnerability severity. Allowing iOS 18 users to receive patches without upgrading to iOS 26, however, signals a shift in its long-standing security approach following the discovery of the DarkSword and Coruna exploit kits.
When iOS 26 launched, some users opted to stay on older versions, citing dissatisfaction with design changes and the updated interface. That decision left a sizeable number of devices on iOS 18, creating a wider attack surface for attackers exploiting those vulnerabilities.
“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,” the company said.
The update is available for the following devices:
- iPhone XR, XS, and XS Max
- iPhone 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, and 16 (all models)
- iPhone SE (2nd and 3rd generation)
- iPhone 16e
- iPad mini (5th generation – A17 Pro)
- iPad (7th generation – A16)
- iPad Air (3rd – 5th generation)
- iPad Air 11-inch (M2 – M3)
- iPad Air 13-inch (M2 – M3)
- iPad Pro 11-inch (1st generation – M4)
- iPad Pro 12.9-inch (3rd – 6th generation)
- iPad Pro 13-inch (M4)
“If you’re using an older version of iOS and were to click a malicious link or visit a compromised website, the data on your iPhone might be at risk of being stolen,” Apple warned.
“Keeping your software up to date is the single most important thing you can do to maintain the security of your Apple products, and devices with updated software were not at risk from these reported attacks. Devices with Lockdown Mode enabled are also protected from these specific attacks, even on out-of-date software, but should be updated to the latest iOS version as soon as possible,” the company added.
