Demand for British access to Apple users' encrypted cloud content

 Apple should provide unrestricted access to fully encrypted information, says British government

Saturday, February 8, 2025

London (News / Pakistan Point News - NNI. 08 February 2025) British security authorities have demanded that Apple create a backdoor that would allow them to access encrypted cloud content of Apple users around the world. According to media reports, last month, under a technical capability notice issued under the UK Investigatory Powers Act 2016, the government has demanded that Apple provide unrestricted access to fully encrypted information, rather than providing assistance in accessing specific accounts.

Apple is reportedly considering completely removing its encrypted storage services from the UK market, standing by its commitment to global user security. Apple stated its position before Parliament in March, saying that the UK government has no right to determine whether citizens around the world can benefit from the proven security benefits associated with end-to-end encryption.

The UK Home Office declined to comment on the details of the order. A spokesperson pointed out that “we do not comment on operational matters, including confirming or denying any such notices.” The order concerns Apple’s Advanced Data Protection feature, which was introduced in 2022 and ensures that only users have the ability to unlock their stored data.

Although the option is not enabled by default, it provides better protection against hacking and significantly limits law enforcement access to users’ photos, messages and other information. The UK’s request has implications beyond national borders. Sources say the proposed measures would prevent Apple from notifying users of any compromises affecting its advanced encryption.

Furthermore, if the UK were to succeed in gaining such access, it is conceivable that other countries, including China, could gain equivalent backdoor access. The development highlights the ongoing dispute between technology companies and government authorities over the issue of encryption, with law enforcement claiming that encryption facilitates criminal activity by concealing operations. The technology firms argued that the introduction of backdoors undermines user privacy and could be exploited by both criminal actors and authoritarian governments. Under the provisions of the UK’s Investigatory Powers Act, commonly known as the “Snoopers’ Charter”, disclosing government demands of this nature is classified as a criminal offence. While Apple retains the right to appeal the notice of capability, the law does not allow for the deferral of compliance during the appeal process.