NEW: UK secretly demanded Apple build a backdoor into ALL encrypted iCloud accounts.

You haven't heard about this before because these orders are secret & there are typically bans on talking about them.

SHORT TERM IMPACT:

Apple will probably stop offering encrypted iCloud storage in the UK.

DETAILS:

the UK Home Secretary sent #Apple a so-called "Technical Capability Notice" which is a demand for access.

These flow from the 2016 Investigatory Powers Act (aka "Snooper's Charter") and is a mechanism for the government to *compel* companies to provide access.

ENFORCED SILENCE:

Among the more pernicious parts of this secret demand: Apple would be *FORBIDDEN* from telling users that the backdoor had been introduced into iCloud's Advanced Data Protection.

BIG PICTURE:

The public really doesn't realize it, but cloud backups of phones are constantly used for surveillance. Huge #privacy & #encryption gap.

By introducing optional Advanced Data Protection, Apple extended similar protections of device encryption to users' clouds.

So, since ADP was introduced in 2022, governments have been scheming to undermine it.

LOOKING INTO THE FUTURE:

It's only a matter of time before governments try to target Private Cloud Compute. And do so with the same secret legal tools.

REPORT:

https://www.washingtonpost.com/technology/2025/02/07/apple-encryption-backdoor-uk/