Apple confirmed Friday that “it can no longer” offer a security feature that allows users in the UK to encrypt iCloud data.
In a statement provided to TechCrunch, Apple Fred Sainz spokesman said the company Advanced data protection The function will no longer be available to new users and current UK users “will eventually turn off this security feature”.
“We are seriously disappointed that the protections provided by ADP will not be available to our customers in the United Kingdom, given the continuing increase in data violations and other customer life threats,” the company said.
“Strengthening the safety of cloud storage with end to end is more urgent than ever,” the statement said.
The announcement comes after the UK government ordered Apple earlier this year to create a backdoor that would allow British Authorities to be accessed by users’ data stored on Apple cloud servers, even if they are encrypted by end at an end. This request, which is considered unprecedented in a modern democracy, was concerned about the protection of privacy and security, who claimed that if the British government prevailed, demand would be preceded by authoritarian countries to follow.
Apple offers users the option to activate encrypted iCloud backups from end to end through advanced data protection. This feature makes it effectively impossible for anyone, including Apple and government authorities, to see the data stored in iCloud from users who have chosen.
A UK spokesman did not immediately respond to TechCrunch’s request for comments.
Apple did not immediately say how the ADP off process will work for users who had already activated before Friday.
James Baker, who works for the Open Rights Open Rights of the UK Rights Organization, said that “the actions of the home office have deprived millions of British access to a security feature. As a result, British citizens will run through Higher risk for their personal data and family photos falling into the hands of criminals and predators. “
Apple stated that some types of data, including health data, messages stored in iCloud, and payment information, which are encrypted from end to end by default for all users, will not be affected by this change and will They remain encrypted for everyone. But UK users will not be able to participate to use end to end for other types of data, such as photos, notes, backups, and other datawhich were encrypted under ADP.
For those who have already activated ADP, Apple said it will soon give customers more guidance, as well as a period of time to turn off the feature to continue using iCloud.
ADP is not affected by users outside the United Kingdom, Apple said, and not even encrypted communication services such as Facetime and Imessage are not affected.
“As we said many times before, we never built a backdoor or master key to any of our products or services and we will never do it,” Apple said, linking The previous statements of.
Reported BBC news This ADP stopped being a choice for new users starting at 3 pm UK time on Friday. TechCrunch also confirmed that ADP is no longer an option for new users in the UK.
From the rise of encryption in the mid -1990s, governments worldwide argued that this technology that erased the data would allow criminals and terrorists to violate the law while avoiding law enforcement. Over the years, authorities have always found a way from accessing non -encrypted backups to spyware to access data directly to human devices.
“If you are not in the United Kingdom, you will need to activate ADP now,” Matthew Green, an cryptography expert and teacher at Johns Hopkins University, wrote to x Replying to the news.
“The more people use it, the harder it will be to close in this way,” Green said.
Clarified the data forms protected by advanced data protection in the ninth paragraph.
This story was informed to include James Baker’s statement.
