Feds take notice of iOS vulnerabilities exploited under mysterious circumstances

Ars Technica
March 6, 2026
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1 min read

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The Bottom Line

Federal agencies ordered to patch critical iOS vulnerabilities exploited by three distinct threat groups over 10 months.

How This Affects You

Users on iOS 13-17.2.1 face exploitation risk unless patched. Lockdown mode and private browsing provide protection.

AI Summary

# Summary The Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency has ordered federal agencies to patch three critical iOS vulnerabilities that were exploited across a 10-month span by three distinct hacking groups using Coruna, an advanced exploit kit containing 23 separate iOS exploits, according to a Google report published Thursday. The vulnerabilities, which had been previously patched by Apple, still pose significant risk to older iOS versions (13 through 17.2.1) when exploited through Coruna's sophisticated code, which includes a novel JavaScript framework with advanced obfuscation techniques and pointer authentication code bypasses. The three campaigns involved a surveillance vendor customer in February 2025, a suspected Russian espionage group targeting Ukrainian users in July 2025, and a financially motivated Chinese threat actor in December 2025. CISA added the three vulnerabilities to its known exploited vulnerabilities catalog on Friday, mandating federal agency patching and recommending all organizations do the same. The exploits are ineffective against Apple's Lockdown mode or private browsing mode.

What's Being Done

CISA mandated federal agency patching and recommended organizations patch three critical iOS vulnerabilities added to exploit catalog.

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