Here we go again. A new report from The Washington Post (citing anonymous sources) says that Apple is being pressured by security officials in the United Kingdom to create a backdoor in iCloud that will let them view the data people upload to the service, not just in the U.K., but worldwide.
According to the Washington Post, the British government wants to be able to read material on Apple's cloud storage, especially content under Apple's Advanced Data Protection (ADP).
The thing with ADP is that not even Apple can see your content. If you lose your data, not even Apple can help you recover it. Apple introduced Advanced Data Protection (ADP) for iCloud on December 7, 2022, and it covers end-to-end encryption of information that includes the following:
- Device backups
- Messages backups
- iCloud Drive
- Notes
- Photos
- Reminders
- Safari bookmarks
- Siri Shortcuts
- Voice Memos
- Wallet passes
Despite the U.K. government's demands, The Washington Post reports that Apple is unlikely to comply and would rather stop offering ADP in the U.K. However, this is unlikely to satisfy U.K. authorities, as they are requesting access not just to data from U.K. users but every iCloud user.
The secret order (known as a Technical Capability Notice) sent to Apple last month cited the U.K. Investigatory Powers Act of 2016, which requires companies to assist law enforcement in accessing encrypted data when requested.
If Apple buckles under pressure from the U.K. government, it will also be barred from notifying users that Advanced Data Protection is no longer as secure as they think.
The U.K. government argues that encryption makes it easier for criminals like child abusers and terrorists to hide and distribute illegal material. This is an argument the FBI used in 2016. That was the same year the agency wanted Apple to decrypt an iPhone recovered from the San Bernardino mass shooting. The FBI ended up hacking the phone anyway.
Cybersecurity experts like Lisa Forte disagree with the rationale of U.K. security officials. She told the BBC:
Criminals and terrorists will just pivot to other platforms and techniques to avoid incrimination. So it's the average, law-abiding citizen who suffers by losing their privacy.
Apple is reportedly considering an appeal against the order. The U.K. authorities are also eyeing Google, as the company has been offering encrypted-by-default backups for Android devices since 2018.
If you're interested, here’s an official guide from Apple on how to turn on Advanced Data Protection (ADP) for iCloud.
Image via Depositphotos.com
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