Apple has removed its strongest data protection from UK users -- why and what does it mean?
Apple's Advanced Data protection allows the data that its users store in iCloud to be end-to-end encrypted. On Friday of last week the company announced that it would be removing this tool from users in the UK.
The move follows a demand from the UK government to allow 'backdoor' access into data in order to investigate crime. The problem is that even Apple can't access ADP protected data and the company argues that a backdoor would be exploited by attackers.
UK government asks Apple to give it backdoor access to encrypted user data
The UK government has used the Investigatory Powers Act (IPA) to issue Apple with a “technical capability notice” requiring the company to create a backdoor into its encrypted cloud services. The Home Office is specifically interested in bypassing the encryption that secures Apple’s Advanced Data Protection (ADP) service.
This cloud service includes a wealth of user data and, thanks to the use of end-to-end encryption, cannot be accessed by anyone other than the account holder. The UK government demand is part of legislation that forces companies to help law enforcement with investigations, but creating a backdoor would allow a level of access that even Apple does not currently have -- and there are concerns about the potential for abuse.