Betriebsmeldung - 25. März 2026 Urgent iOS update required to protect against malware

We would like to inform all staff and students that a powerful exploit kit called “DarkSword” has been released, which could pose an immediate security risk to iPhones that have not been updated. Anyone who has not yet updated their iPhone should do so as soon as possible and install iOS 26.4 (or iOS 18.7.7 for iPhone XR, XS, and XS Max). The update can be downloaded via “Settings > General > Software Update”.

The malware exploits several previously unpatched vulnerabilities in iOS versions 18 through 26, meaning that simply visiting a compromised website, for example, is enough to compromise the device. Since the source code is now freely available, attackers can easily adapt it and deploy it on a large scale. Devices still running iOS 18, iOS 26.3, or an earlier version are therefore at risk. Please check if the update is available and install it immediately.

Attacks on iPads and Macs have not yet been detected, but vulnerabilities do exist on these devices as well. Therefore, these devices should also be updated as soon as possible.

For more information, please refer to the related heise article.