Apple Removes iCloud Encryption in UK After Secret Government Order

Earlier this month, United Kingdom security officials reportedly issued a secret order to Apple to require the company to create backdoor access to users’ encrypted iCloud data. In response, Apple has removed its most secure end-to-end encryption from iCloud in the United Kingdom.

Rather than comply with the secret order issued under the U.K.’s Investigatory Powers Act, which The Washington Post reported on February 7, Apple has opted to instead turn off its secure Advanced Data Protection (ADP) service in the United Kingdom, also reported by The Washington Post and other outlets.

Apple account holders in the U.K. can no longer enable Advanced Data Protection, and those who currently have it enabled will need to disable it at some point or lose access to iCloud altogether.

“We are gravely disappointed that the protections provided by ADP will not be available to our customers in the UK given the continuing rises of data breaches and other threats to customer privacy,” Apple says. “Apple remains committed to offering our users the highest level of security for their personal data, and we are hopeful we will able to do so in the future in the United Kingdom.”

Apple did not directly reference the issued security order, as disclosing it would be a crime.

U.K. officials demanded that Apple enable backdoor access to encrypted content protected by ADP. This encryption, which the user must enable as it is not on by default, requires users to have a key to access encrypted data. Even Apple cannot access the data, much to the chagrin of law enforcement around the world.

Data protected by ADP cannot be accessed by law enforcement or Apple through subpoenas, leading some law enforcement and surveillance agencies to claim that criminal networks take advantage of the extreme protection ADP offers.

“As we have said many times before, we have never built a back door or master key to any of our products or services, and we never will,” Apple said.

However, Apple’s removal of Advanced Data Protection from the United Kingdom does not fully satisfy the U.K. government’s order. The United Kingdom’s reported demand for backdoor access to iCloud data remains, as the country wanted backdoor access to all encrypted iCloud data globally. It is not enough that U.K. users can no longer fully encrypt their iCloud data, security officials want more.

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