U.K. demands Apple create a backdoor to spy on encrypted iCloud accounts worldwide
The U.K. government is pressuring Apple to create a backdoor in its iCloud service, allowing global access to user data, specifically targeting data protected by Apple's Advanced Data Protection (ADP). ADP, introduced in December 2022, employs end-to-end encryption for securing user data like device and message backups and iCloud Drive, ensuring that even Apple cannot access the information.
This demand comes through a Technical Capability Notice under the U.K. Investigatory Powers Act of 2016, which requires companies to assist law enforcement in accessing encrypted data. Apple faces a significant decision, as complying would pose a security risk for all iCloud users, with the backdoor not limited geographically. The company is reportedly considering halting ADP services in the U.K. to preserve global security integrity and is contemplating an appeal, which could lead to a legal battle with U.K. authorities. If Apple complies, it would be unable to inform users about the compromised data protection. The U.K. government is also targeting Google due to Android's encrypted-by-default backups since 2018.
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Related news
External links
- U.K. orders Apple to let it spy on users’ encrypted accountsThe Washington Post
- UK demands ability to access Apple users’ encrypted datathe Guardian
- UK demands backdoor to Apple's encrypted cloud storage, putting everyone at riskMacworld
- Apple ordered to open encrypted user accounts globally to UK spyingThe Verge
- The U.K. government wants to spy on you via an iCloud backdoor and is seeking Apple's helpNeowin
Comments
While a user of macOS, I'm not an Apple loyalist. But am disturbed by the over-reach of the UK government. Any form of backdoor will open up the floodgates for hackers and scammers. Personal security should be a basic human right and this is veiled step to remove that.
Veiled? Seems pretty blatant to me.
Poor choice of words from, but the gov will hide behind a "valid" reason. We might agree with that reasoning but it's not strong enough to justify the ask to give all bad actors a happy day.
Air strip one at it again
Human being : create strong encryption to improve information security. Human being that have an addiction to great totalitarian control : Wants to make encryption useless so it can better control resulting in putting all it's citizen in danger of data abuse, information theft, etc...
This is so stupid because of course it will mean Apple will just disable this feature in the UK. As if true terrorists or criminals are too stupid to use a VPN. Plus how many criminals are hiding valuable intel in their Apple iCloud of all places? This smells like an attempt to just easily capture dumb rookie criminals or even to target otherwise law abiding citizens who may show online disagreement with the government. Completely Orwellian. It's so funny that the UK is falling right into what Orwell predicted but then again that's probably why Orwell was able to see it - he was British.
It's about control. Criminals is the narrative so that the good citizen accept surveillance, thinking falsely that it will bring them security. The four horseman of the infocallypse as usual.
Crazy, totally. I don't have an ounce of trust in Apple (and may have even less trust in other FAANG) but since all its marketing is based on privacy (which doesn't mean security), I fail to see how they could accept such request rather than exiting UK. Let's hope UK will fail, and that will force other countries to think twice before asking such a favor.