Global iPhone Hacking Operation: Allegations of U.S. Contractor Tool Use

PNN Staff Report

A major global hacking campaign targeting iPhone users reportedly used tools developed by U.S. defense contractor L3Harris Technologies. Originally made for Western intelligence, the tools fell into the hands of hacker groups.

TechCrunch reported that in 2025, Google discovered a sophisticated iPhone hacking toolkit called “Coruna” with 23 components, initially built for an unidentified government client. Russian and Chinese hackers later used it to attack Ukrainian and global users.

Cybersecurity experts iVerify believe the tools were sold by a U.S. government-affiliated company. Former employee Peter Williams stole eight tools between 2022–2025 and sold them to Operation Zero for $1.3 million, later receiving a seven-year prison sentence.

The tools exploited zero-day vulnerabilities in iOS versions 13 through 17.2.1. Some components, “Photon” and “Gallium,” were used in Operation Triangulation in 2023. Experts warn that if advanced espionage tools fall into the wrong hands, they pose global security risks, particularly for widely used devices like smartphones.