The Proliferation of DarkSword: iOS Exploit Chain Adopted by Multiple Threat Actors
released on 2026-03-18 @ 03:44:34 PM
Google Threat Intelligence Group has identified a new iOS full-chain exploit called DarkSword, which leverages multiple zero-day vulnerabilities to compromise devices running iOS 18.4 through 18.7. Since November 2025, multiple commercial surveillance vendors and suspected state-sponsored actors have been observed using DarkSword in campaigns targeting users in Saudi Arabia, Turkey, Malaysia, and Ukraine. The exploit chain utilizes six different vulnerabilities to deploy final-stage payloads, including three distinct malware families: GHOSTBLADE, GHOSTKNIFE, and GHOSTSABER. The proliferation of DarkSword across various threat actors mirrors the previously discovered Coruna iOS exploit kit. Notable users include UNC6353, a suspected Russian espionage group, which has incorporated DarkSword into their watering hole campaigns targeting Ukrainian websites.