Update your iPhone now Apple issues a rare warning to iOS users as a new hacker threat is discovered

Date:
Fri, 20 Mar 2026 13:01:26 +0000

Description:
Apple has warned iOS users to update their iPhones to stay safe against a new hacker threat.

FULL STORY ======================================================================Copy link Facebook X Whatsapp Reddit Pinterest Flipboard Threads Email Share this article 0 Join the conversation Follow us Add us as a preferred source on Google Newsletter Tech Radar Get the TechRadar Newsletter Sign up for
breaking news, reviews, opinion, top tech deals, and more. Contact me with news and offers from other Future brands Receive email from us on behalf of our trusted partners or sponsors By submitting your information you agree to the Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy and are aged 16 or over. You are
now subscribed Your newsletter sign-up was successful An account already exists for this email address, please log in. Subscribe to our newsletter Apple has urged users to update their iOS devices as soon as possible This will protect your iPhone from web attacks and vulnerabilities Devices running iOS 15 to iOS 26 are already protected Apple has issued a rare public
warning, stating that if youre running an old version of iOS, you should update your device in order to protect your iPhone from web attacks.

The notice has been published in a new security document on Apples website. While the company frequently releases security updates and patches to keep customers devices secure, its unusual for Apple to issue a public call in
this manner, which underscores the seriousness of the situation. In the support document, Apple said that Security researchers recently identified web-based attacks that target out-of-date versions of iOS through malicious web content. For example, if youre 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. Article continues below You may like This new DarkSword iOS exploit can steal almost everything from your iPhone here's what we know Apple fixes dangerous zero-day flaw affecting macOS, iOS and more - update now to avoid 'extremely sophisticated attack' Apple just patched some versions of iOS that are over a decade old - so you might want
to hold on to your old iPhone for a bit

It comes shortly after Google published details of an iOS exploit it had discovered named DarkSword , which is being used by both commercial spyware makers and state-sponsored hackers in the wild.

As for Apples warning, the firm added that after being made aware of the
hack, it released software updates as quickly as possible for the most recent operating system versions to address vulnerabilities and disrupt such
attacks. That means that if your iPhone is running iOS 15 through iOS 26 , youre already protected because Apples security updates have addressed the vulnerabilities in question.

However, if you have an older version of iOS on your device, you should
update it as soon as possible in order to get the security patches and keep this exploit at bay. How to protect yourself (Image credit: Sora Shimazaki / Pexels) Apple sought to reassure users of the latest iOS operating systems that If you have kept your iPhone software up to date, then you are already protected. Indeed, it noted that Keeping your software up to date is the single most important thing you can do to maintain the security of your Apple products. Get daily insight, inspiration and deals in your inbox Sign up for breaking news, reviews, opinion, top tech deals, and more. Contact me with news and offers from other Future brands Receive email from us on behalf of our trusted partners or sponsors By submitting your information you agree to the Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy and are aged 16 or over.

Because the exploit runs on the web, Safari s Safe Browsing mode which is enabled by default blocks the malicious URL domains identified in these attacks, Apple said.

While all of the best iPhones can update to iOS 26, thats not the case for much older products. But even if your iPhone is too outdated to run iOS 26, you could consider enabling Lockdown Mode (if available). While this
restricts what you can do on your iPhone, it offers strong protection that could keep it safe if you cant install the latest iOS version. However, Apple cautioned that older devices should still be updated to newer operating
system versions as soon as possible.

Apple also says it has released a patch for iOS 15 and iOS 16 that specifically addresses the vulnerability mentioned in the support document. Devices on iOS 13 or iOS 14, meanwhile, must be updated to iOS 15, Apple
says, in order to be protected. The company added that devices on these operating system versions will also receive an alert to install a Critical Security Update in the coming days. What to read next iPhone users are
getting a new feature to protect their privacy in iOS 26.3 iOS 26.3 update just made it a lot easier to switch to Android here's how A devious new
Apple Pay scam is hitting millions heres how to stay safe

To update your iPhone to the latest edition of iOS, open the Settings app and navigate to General > Software Update. Wait for your iPhone to find the update, then tap Update Now. Your iPhone might restart a few times, and the process can take a little while. Also, be sure to back up your iPhone before you begin, just in case anything goes wrong.

The situation highlights just how important it is to keep your iPhone up to date as often as you can. Software updates dont just contain shiny new features they could also help keep you safe and ensure your vital information, from credit card numbers to your health data, stays out of the hands of hackers and criminals. Follow TechRadar on Google News and add us as a preferred source to get our expert news, reviews, and opinion in your
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And of course you can also follow TechRadar on TikTok for news, reviews, unboxings in video form, and get regular updates from us on WhatsApp too. Today's best Apple iPhone 17 deals Contract Deals Sim Free gift Apple iPhone 17 24 months Unlimited mins Unlimited texts 10GB data 19 upfront 34.99 /mth View at Mobiles.co.uk See all prices We check over 250 million products every day for the best prices



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Link to news story: https://www.techradar.com/phones/update-your-iphone-now-apple-issues-a-rare-wa rning-to-ios-users-as-a-new-hacker-threat-is-discovered


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