Apple removed iCloud’s Advanced Data Protection in the UK after the government requested encryption backdoor access.
Apple ends iCloud end-to-end encryption in the United Kingdom following the government’s request for encryption backdoor access. Advanced Data Protection is now unavailable for new UK users.
In 2022, the IT giant introduced the optional setting Advanced Data Protection (ADP) for iCloud which provides end-to-end encryption for most iCloud data (including iCloud Backup, Photos, and Notes), ensuring only users can access it, even if a cloud breach occurs.
The UK demanded Apple to create a backdoor to access any iCloud backups, the request raised concerns about user privacy and undermined Apple’s security commitments.
“The British government’s undisclosed order, issued last month, requires blanket capability to view fully encrypted material, not merely assistance in cracking a specific account, and has no known precedent in major democracies.” reads the article published by The Washington Post. “Its application would mark a significant defeat for tech companies in their decades-long battle to avoid being wielded as government tools against their users, the people said, speaking under the condition of anonymity to discuss legally and politically sensitive issues.”
The company announced on Friday that the Advanced Data Protection feature is no longer available in the UK for new users. Existing ADP users must manually disable it, as Apple cannot do so automatically.
“The company said Friday that Advanced Data Protection, an optional feature that adds end-to-end encryption to a wide assortment of user data, is no longer available in the UK for new users.” reported Bloomberg. “The technology had provided an extra layer of security to iCloud data storage, device backups, web bookmarks, voice memos, notes, photos, reminders and text message 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,” the company 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.”
The U.K. Home Office demands broad access to encrypted data under the Investigatory Powers Act.
Once the ADP was suspended, Apple stores iCloud encryption keys, allowing law enforcement access with a warrant.
The British government recently filed a Technical Capability Notice (TCN), demanding Apple stop providing encrypted storage in the country.
Technically, the authorities are demanding a backdoor that could allow them to access the service also in other countries.
Apple began providing end-to-end encryption for cloud storage in 2022, despite many Apple users are still not enabling it.
The U.K. and FBI argue that encryption aids criminals and terrorists, but tech companies respond by emphasizing privacy rights, warning that backdoors can be exploited by threat actors and for government surveillance.
Sen. Ron Wyden, a Democrat on the Senate Intelligence Committee, urged the U.S. to prevent Britain from spying on Americans, calling it a disaster for privacy and national security.
“Trump and American tech companies letting foreign governments secretly spy on Americans would be unconscionable and an unmitigated disaster for Americans’ privacy and our national security.” said Sen. Ron Wyden (Oregon).
“If the U.K. secures access to the encrypted data, other countries that have allowed the encrypted storage, such as China, might be prompted to demand equal backdoor access, potentially prompting Apple to withdraw the service rather than comply.” concludes The Washington Post. “The battle over storage privacy escalating in Britain is not entirely unexpected. In 2022 U.K. officials condemned Apple’s plans to introduce strong encryption for storage. “End-to-end encryption cannot be allowed to hamper efforts to catch perpetrators of the most serious crimes,” a government spokesperson told the Guardian newspaper, referring specifically to child safety laws.”
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Pierluigi Paganini
(SecurityAffairs – hacking, Apple)
