UK government tries again to access encrypted Apple customer data: Report

TechCrunch
TechCrunch
3M ago
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The UK government has issued a new order to Apple, demanding access to encrypted iCloud data, raising privacy concerns.
UK government tries again to access encrypted Apple customer data: Report
A What happened
The UK government is reportedly making another attempt to access encrypted iCloud data from Apple, as reported by the Financial Times. A secret order was sent to Apple in September, requesting the creation of a backdoor to access cloud backups of British citizens. This follows an earlier order issued in January under the Investigatory Powers Act 2016, which sought access to any Apple user account protected by Advanced Data Protection (ADP). Apple has previously stated it will not create backdoors for its products, and privacy activists have warned that compliance with such orders could have global implications for user privacy. Apple has expressed disappointment that it cannot offer ADP to users in the UK, which allows for end-to-end encryption. The UK Home Office has not commented on the latest order.

Key insights

  • 1

    Government Surveillance: The UK government continues to push for access to encrypted data.

  • 2

    Privacy Concerns: Activists warn that backdoors could compromise global user privacy.

  • 3

    Apple's Stance: Apple maintains it will not create backdoors for its services.

Takeaways

The ongoing conflict between government surveillance and user privacy remains a critical issue.

Topics

Technology & Innovation Artificial Intelligence Cybersecurity