XPost: comp.sys.mac.system

UK first, but no doubt other governemtns will demand the same. They'll
also demand the same from all the other tech companies such as Google,
Samsung, DropBox, etc.


Apple Pulls Encrypted iCloud Security Feature in UK
Amid Government Backdoor Demands
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Apple has withdrawn its Advanced Data Protection iCloud feature
from the United Kingdom following government demands for backdoor
access to encrypted user data, according to Bloomberg. The move
comes after UK officials secretly ordered Apple to provide
unrestricted access to encrypted iCloud content worldwide.

Customers who are already using Advanced Data Protection, or ADP,
will need to manually disable it during an unspecified grace
period to keep their iCloud accounts, according to the report.
Apple said it will issue additional guidance in the future to
affected users and that it "does not have the ability to
automatically disable it on their behalf."

The UK government's demand came through a "technical capability
notice" under the Investigatory Powers Act (IPA), requiring Apple
to create a backdoor that would allow British security officials
to access encrypted user data globally. The order would have
compromised Apple's Advanced Data Protection feature, which
provides end-to-end encryption for iCloud data including Photos,
Notes, Messages backups, and device backups.

"We are gravely disappointed that the protections
provided by ADP will not be available to our
customers in the UK given the continuing rise of
data breaches and other threats to customer
privacy," Apple said in a statement. "ADP protects
iCloud data with end-to-end encryption, which
means the data can only be decrypted by the user
who owns it, and only on their trusted devices."

Apple's decision to pull the feature rather than comply with the
UK's demands is consistent with the company's previous statements
that it would consider withdrawing encrypted services from the
UK rather than compromise security. Apple has long opposed
creating backdoors in its products, maintaining that such access
points would inevitably be discovered by malicious actors.

The UK order was particularly controversial as it would have
required Apple to provide access to data from users outside the
UK without their governments' knowledge. Additionally, the IPA
makes it illegal for companies to disclose the existence of such
government demands.

US security agencies, including the FBI and NSA, have been
advocating for increased use of encryption to protect against
Chinese cyber threats, creating potential conflicts between UK
and US security interests.

"Enhancing the security of cloud storage with end-to-end
encryption is more urgent than ever before," said Apple on Friday,
per Bloomberg. The company added that it "remains committed to
offering our users the highest level of security for their
personal data and are hopeful that we will be able to do so in the
future in the United Kingdom."

Note that the loss of Advanced Data Protection in the UK does not
affect the existing end-to-end encryption of several other Apple
features available in the country, including iMessage, FaceTime,
password management and health data.



<https://www.macrumors.com/2025/02/21/apple-pulls-encrypted-icloud-security-feature-uk/>

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