Government iPhone Hacking Tools Circulating Among Organized Cybercrime Groups
Hacking tools from U.S. agencies now compromise iPhones globally through device-based attacks.
Security researchers: A team discovered powerful phone hacking tools that started with government customers and now crime groups use them.
How tools spread: Google first found tools in February 2025 when companies tried to hack phones for governments. Later the same tools targeted Ukrainian users from Russian groups. Chinese hackers also used them to make money.
Why experts worry: Mobile company iVerify said U.S. government made these tools. They linked them to past U.S. hacks through similarities with other tools. One expert explained, “More use means more leaks will happen.” These tools now reach random bad actors.
What tools do: Hackers visit one bad website to break iPhone defenses. The Coruna kit uses 23 weaknesses chained together. Apple said affected phones run iOS 13 through 17.2.1 from the last model year. Wired magazine said these match older U.S. hacks.
For comparison: In 2017 U.S. National Security Agency tools targeting Windows computers escaped. Criminals used this same code for ransomware attacks including WannaCry by North Korea. This shows how government cyber tools harm regular people.