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Trident was a 2016 chain of three iOS zero-day vulnerabilities used to deliver Pegasus spyware to a targeted iPhone. A malicious link could lead from code execution in Safari to control of the device’s kernel, allowing the chain to bypass protections and install spyware. Apple fixed the flaws in iOS 9.3.5, released on August 25, 2016.
What was the Trident iPhone exploit?
Trident was the name used by Citizen Lab and Lookout for a sequence of three vulnerabilities—not a single bug. Researchers connected the chain to NSO Group’s Pegasus, a commercial spyware product that the Citizen Lab report described as intended for government use.
The documented case involved UAE human-rights defender Ahmed Mansoor. He received suspicious SMS messages containing links on August 10 and 11, 2016, and forwarded them to Citizen Lab rather than opening them. That gave researchers an opportunity to analyze the links and the exploit chain.
How did the Trident chain work?
The attack began with a link to a malicious webpage. If opened on a vulnerable iPhone, the page could exploit WebKit in Safari, then use two kernel vulnerabilities to gain deeper control. The final stage installed the spyware payload.
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Stage 1: Safari code execution — CVE-2016-4657
A memory-corruption flaw in WebKit allowed the malicious webpage to execute code in Safari. This provided the initial foothold; by itself, it was browser-level access rather than full control of the iPhone.
Stage 2: Kernel access — CVE-2016-4655 and CVE-2016-4656
CVE-2016-4655 disclosed kernel memory, helping the exploit work around kernel address-space layout randomization, a protection that makes memory locations harder to predict. CVE-2016-4656 then used kernel memory corruption to run code with kernel privileges. The chain could disable code-signing enforcement, a safeguard that normally restricts which code can run.
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Stage 3: Spyware installation
With kernel-level control, the chain could remotely jailbreak a stock iPhone and download and install Pegasus. Lookout reported that the three vulnerabilities were used against iOS 9.3.3 and would also have worked against iOS 9.3.4 when the flaws were discovered; iOS 9.3.5 closed them.
What could Pegasus access?
Citizen Lab described the observed payload as turning a phone into “a digital spy in his pocket.” Its report said the spyware could access the camera and microphone, WhatsApp and Viber calls, mobile-chat messages, and movement information. Lookout also described collection involving Gmail, Facebook, Skype, WhatsApp, Calendar, FaceTime, Line, Mail.Ru, and location-related data.
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These are reported capabilities and collection targets, not proof that every listed function was used in Mansoor’s case. The reports establish that the payload was designed for broad surveillance of communications, device functions, and location.
Which CVEs made up Trident?
| CVE | Role in the chain |
|---|---|
| CVE-2016-4657 | WebKit memory corruption; enabled code execution in Safari from a malicious webpage. |
| CVE-2016-4655 | Kernel memory disclosure; helped defeat kernel address-space layout randomization. |
| CVE-2016-4656 | Kernel memory corruption; enabled arbitrary code execution with kernel privileges and allowed code-signing enforcement to be disabled. |
Was Trident patched, and what should iPhone users do?
Yes. Apple released iOS 9.3.5 on August 25, 2016, fixing all three vulnerabilities for iPhone 4s and later. Citizen Lab said the update blocked the chain by closing the vulnerabilities researchers believed had been exploited to compromise iPhones remotely.
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Trident is a patched 2016 threat, not a reason to assume a currently supported, up-to-date iPhone remains vulnerable to this particular chain. For an older device, install the latest security update available for its model. If it no longer receives security updates, the original Trident fix does not address later vulnerabilities; the device’s ongoing risk depends on its software support and other threats.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Could Trident affect Macs?
Lookout reported that the same three software flaws were present in Apple Mac computers. Apple later issued updates for desktop Safari and OS X. The iOS 9.3.5 release date and iPhone model coverage do not establish the release date or affected versions for those desktop patches; Lookout’s recommendation was to install the relevant Apple updates.
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How widespread was the attack, and who was behind it?
The public reports document a targeted attempt against Mansoor and associate the infrastructure and payload with NSO Group’s Pegasus. They identify the UAE as the likely operator context, but this is an attribution made by researchers, not a published definitive accounting of who conducted every operation.
The reports do not provide a reliable worldwide infection count. The documented case therefore establishes that Trident was used in a targeted campaign, but it does not support a numerical estimate of how many people were infected.
Was Trident a zero-click exploit?
The documented delivery method was SMS links that led to a malicious webpage. That makes the reported attack link-based, rather than evidence of a zero-click infection that succeeds without the target opening a link or otherwise interacting with the delivery. Its significance was the privilege escalation after the link was opened: browser code execution became kernel-level control and spyware installation.
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