The UK government has accessed customer information and intensified its dispute with Apple by requesting a backdoor to the cloud storage services of high-tech companies.
Previously, the Home Office sought access to data tied to Apple’s Advanced Data Protection (ADP) services uploaded by users globally, leading to tensions with the White House.
On Wednesday, The Financial Times reported that the government has introduced a new access order known as the Technical Capacity Notice (TCN), which aims to gain access to encrypted cloud backups for UK citizens.
A spokesperson for the Ministry of Home Affairs noted that the department does not comment on operational matters such as “confirming or denying the presence of such notices.” The spokesperson added: “We will always take all necessary actions at the national level to ensure the safety of our British citizens.”
In February, Apple withdrew ADP for new UK users, advising that existing users would need to deactivate security features in the future. Messaging services such as iMessage and FaceTime continue to be end-to-end encrypted by default.
Tulsi Gabbard, director of US national intelligence, mentioned that the UK had backed down in August by insisting on access to US customer data. Donald Trump characterized the demand for access as “what you hear is China.”
While Apple did not directly address the FT report, it expressed regret over its inability to provide ADP (an optional additional layer) to UK customers, stating it would “never” implement backdoors in its products.
“Apple remains dedicated to delivering the highest level of security for personal data, and we hope to achieve this in the UK in the future. As I’ve reiterated many times, we’ve never created a backdoor or a master key for any product or service.”
Apple has challenged the initial TCN via the Investigatory Powers Tribunal, questioning whether the national intelligence agency acted unlawfully. The Home Office had attempted to keep the case’s details confidential, but after a ruling in April, it was confirmed that Apple’s appeal resulted in some information being released for the first time.
However, the specifics of the TCN remain undisclosed, and recipients of such notices are prohibited from revealing their existence under investigatory rights. The FT indicates that the original TCN is “not limited to” data stored under the ADP, suggesting the UK government seeks access to fundamental and widespread iCloud services.
The ADP service employs end-to-end encryption, ensuring that only account holders can decrypt files like documents and photos, leaving no one else, including Apple, with that capability.
Privacy International, the organization that initiated a legal challenge against the first TCN, remarked that this new order “may pose as significant a threat as the previous ones.” It noted that if Apple is compelled to compromise end-to-end encryption in the UK, it would create vulnerabilities affecting all users by undermining the entire system.
“Such vulnerabilities could be exploited by hostile states, criminals, and other malevolent entities across the globe,” the organization stated.
Source: www.theguardian.com
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