Some Apple users are still refusing to update their devices to iOS 26, despite the risk of their smartphones getting hacked. Because of this, the company has decided to issue a backported patch.

One of the main reasons you should update your smartphone to the latest software version is not only to get the latest features, but also to fix bugs and vulnerabilities.

Apple introduced its revamped operating system, iOS 26, last September. However, it wasn’t met with much enthusiasm by users, many of whom refused to update their smartphones and kept their devices running iOS 18.

That didn’t seem like a big problem until recently, when hackers found a way to exploit vulnerabilities found on iOS 18.

Caught between users' desire for their smartphones to run an older version of iOS and the risk of hacking, Apple decided to update its patching policy.

Now, the company is issuing patches for its older operating system versions, even for devices that can be upgraded to the latest iOS version.

Apple will issue software updates on Wednesday morning to protect users' devices from DarkSword, a hacking technique that can take over iPhones running iOS 18, reports Wired.

Such a move is also called “backporting” a patch. It allows taking a feature, a fix, or a patch from a newer version of software and applying it to an older version.

This isn’t the first patch for iOS 18 that the company has released amid the appearance of DarkSword. The first was applied only to devices with older hardware, which aren’t capable of running iOS 26.

How it all started: What’s DarkSword?

A few weeks ago, researchers discovered two new hacking tools targeting iPhones and other Apple devices running older operating systems.

One, named Coruna, targeted older devices running on iOS 13.0 through iOS 17.2.1. Meanwhile, its successor, DarkSword, would target Apple devices running iOS 18.4 through 18.7.

Researchers revealed that DarkSword is used by attackers to gain access to users’ devices running older versions of iOS by tricking them into visiting a compromised website. This way, they can steal personal data such as keychain passwords, messages, contacts, photos, and more.

After the reveal of DarkSword, it was reported that its code had been leaked on GitHub.

This news was supposed to encourage users whose smartphones still run older software versions to update their devices, as the now-publicly shared code could be used even further and cause even more issues.

Why do users still avoid iOS 26 updates?

Apple devices running the recently updated iOS version are protected from these vulnerabilities.

However, estimates range from 220 million to 270 million iPhones still running outdated software versions, according to iVerify and Lookout.

In February, Apple shared that, for iPhones, “74% of all devices introduced in the last four years use iOS 26,” with 20% still using iOS 18.

The issue with Apple users not agreeing to update their devices isn’t new.

Last year, Apple released its much-anticipated, overhauled operating system, iOS 26.

Besides the new naming, the company also promised AI and security improvements, along with design changes.

The latter became an issue for many users. Users reported that the new interface design, called Liquid Glass, wasn’t comfortable to use and couldn’t be simply turned off.

Because of this, the company updated the software, allowing users to change the interface in settings.

However, this wasn’t the only complaint users had. Some also experienced issues with their device’s battery and blamed it on the latest software update.

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