Report from the BBC
In Brief – Apple has begun blocking users in the UK from using the company’s highest level of encryption to protect the security and privacy of photos, documents, and other content stored on the company’s iCloud backup system. The move is likely in response to the UK Government demanding that the company provide a so-called backdoor for security authorities to access users’ encrypted iCloud data. The unprecedented demand was reportedly filed against the company under the UK Investigatory Powers Act (IAP) in January, although that was not officially confirmed as even revealing that the government made such a demand is a criminal offense under the law. Apple expanded the use of highly secure end-to-end encryption within the iPhone ecosystem globally in 2022 by allowing users to choose to encrypt iCloud data which had previously not been strongly encrypted. This feature, called Advanced Data Protection, means that even Apple itself cannot access the user data. That was unlike Apple’s standard iCloud encryption that was accessible by the company and could be shared with law enforcement that obtained a warrant. In a statement Apple said it was “gravely disappointed” that the advanced security feature would no longer be available to British customers.
Context – One striking aspect of the UK demand, at least as reported, was that it demanded that Apple provide UK security officials with the ability to access all end-to-end encrypted files in its cloud uploaded by any user worldwide. Bipartisan congressional committee leaders have called on Tulsi Gabbard, the newly confirmed Director of National Intelligence, to strongly push back against the UK policy that they described as, “effectively a foreign cyberattack waged through political means.” The UK security services may have been looking to leverage the change in US administrations, as Apple and Meta were repeatedly criticized during President Trump’s first term for encryption practices that senior officials said protected criminals. However, the new Trump Administration has a much larger digital advocacy wing.