DarkSword Malware - Schneier on Security

Summary

Google Threat Intelligence Group discovered DarkSword, a government-designed iOS full-chain exploit chain leveraging multiple zero-day vulnerabilities to fully compromise devices running iOS 18.4–18.7. Since November 2025, both commercial surveillance vendors and state-sponsored actors including suspected Russian group UNC6353 have deployed DarkSword against targets in Saudi Arabia, Turkey, Malaysia, and Ukraine, delivering three distinct malware families: GHOSTBLADE, GHOSTKNIFE, and GHOSTSABER. A leaked version has since proliferated to broader criminal use.

Full text

DarkSword Malware DarkSword is a sophisticated piece of malware—probably government designed—that targets iOS. Google Threat Intelligence Group (GTIG) has identified a new iOS full-chain exploit that leveraged multiple zero-day vulnerabilities to fully compromise devices. Based on toolmarks in recovered payloads, we believe the exploit chain to be called DarkSword. Since at least November 2025, GTIG has observed multiple commercial surveillance vendors and suspected state-sponsored actors utilizing DarkSword in distinct campaigns. These threat actors have deployed the exploit chain against targets in Saudi Arabia, Turkey, Malaysia, and Ukraine. DarkSword supports iOS versions 18.4 through 18.7 and utilizes six different vulnerabilities to deploy final-stage payloads. GTIG has identified three distinct malware families deployed following a successful DarkSword compromise: GHOSTBLADE, GHOSTKNIFE, and GHOSTSABER. The proliferation of this single exploit chain across disparate threat actors mirrors the previously discovered Coruna iOS exploit kit. Notably, UNC6353, a suspected Russian espionage group previously observed using Coruna, has recently incorporated DarkSword into their watering hole campaigns. A week after it was identified, a version of it leaked onto the internet, where it is being used more broadly. This news is a month old. Your devices are safe, assuming you patch regularly. Tags: Apple, cybercrime, exploits, iOS, malware, vulnerabilities, zero-day Posted on May 5, 2026 at 6:42 AM • 17 Comments

Indicators of Compromise

• malware — DarkSword
• malware — GHOSTBLADE
• malware — GHOSTKNIFE
• malware — GHOSTSABER
• malware — Coruna

Entities