**Millions of iPhones at Risk of Hacking with Newly Discovered Tool** A sophisticated iPhone hacking technique has been discovered in the wild, capable of instantly and silently hacking hundreds of millions of iOS devices. Researchers at Google, along with cybersecurity firms iVerify and Lookout, revealed the technique, known as DarkSword, on Wednesday. The tool is embedded in infected websites and can compromise iOS devices that visit those sites. The DarkSword technique does not affect the latest updated versions of iOS, but it does work against iOS devices running versions of Apple's previous operating system release, iOS 18. As of last month, iOS 18 still accounted for close to a quarter of iPhones, according to Apple's own count. This means that hundreds of millions of people who are still using older Apple devices or older operating system versions remain vulnerable to hacking. According to Rocky Cole, cofounder and CEO of iVerify, "A vast number of iOS users could have all of their personal data stolen simply for visiting a popular website." The iPhone-hacking campaign that used DarkSword has come to light just two weeks after the revelation of another, even more sophisticated hacking toolkit known as Coruna. Coruna was found in use by a Russian state-sponsored espionage group and other hacker groups, and it too was embedded in components of otherwise legitimate Ukrainian websites to harvest data from visitors' phones. While the developers of DarkSword appear to be different from those of Coruna, the researchers found that DarkSword was used by the same Russian spies. This suggests that the hacking campaign is not isolated, but rather part of a larger effort to compromise iOS devices. The fact that DarkSword was embedded in Ukrainian websites, including online news outlets and a government agency site, raises concerns about the potential for widespread hacking and data theft. The discovery of DarkSword highlights the ongoing threat to iOS devices and the need for users to take precautions to protect their personal data. With hundreds of millions of people still using older Apple devices or older operating system versions, the risk of hacking remains high. As the researchers at Google and iVerify emphasize, it is essential for users to stay informed about the latest security threats and take steps to protect themselves from hacking and data theft.