Following an inquiry from authorities in the United Kingdom regarding access to data stored on Apple devices, Cupertino has disabled the Enhanced Data Protection encryption functionality on devices held in the UK.
“We have never created a backdoor or universal key for any of our products or services and we have no intention of doing so,” a unnamed Apple spokesperson stated in an email sent to TechRepublic.
UK seeks enforcement access to data on individual devices, as per sources
In early February, the Home Office utilized the Investigatory Powers Act of 2016 to demand a method to access the encrypted data safeguarded by Apple’s Enhanced Data Protection. The report was divulged by The Washington Post, citing unspecified sources who mentioned that the discussion was conducted discreetly. The Investigatory Powers Act grants law enforcement and intelligence officials the authority to retrieve data. The UK government has neither confirmed nor invalidated the scenario. Merely mentioning that the act has been implemented is considered a criminal act in itself.
VIEW: Applications lacking contact information for developers have been withdrawn by Apple from the EU App Store to abide by the Digital Services Act.
As per the BBC, the government would need to adhere to a legal procedure to access such data and would likely target individuals already under investigation rather than a broad section of the public.
Enhanced Data Protection represents Apple’s most stringent privacy protocol
Data stored under Apple’s Enhanced Data Protection offers the highest level of security provided by the company, ensuring that information remains concealed even from Apple itself. Users are required to opt-in for Enhanced Data Protection as an additional layer on top of Apple’s default security protocols. According to The Washington Post’s initial report, “the majority” of Apple device users do not opt for Enhanced Data Protection.
If a UK user has not already enrolled in Enhanced Data Protection, they will no longer be able to as of February 21, according to Apple. Instead, these users will encounter a notification stating: “Apple is no longer able to provide Enhanced Data Protection (ADP) in the United Kingdom to new users.”
Apple mentioned that existing users will have to deactivate the feature manually to continue using iCloud. Further instructions for these users will be issued soon.
Other end-to-end encrypted applications and services from Apple, like iCloud Keychain, Health, iMessage, and FaceTime, will remain unaffected.
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