TZUTC: -0500   
   MSGID: 1549.consprcy@1:2320/105 2d46631e   
   PID: Synchronet 3.21a-Linux master/123f2d28a Jul 12 2025 GCC 12.2.0   
   TID: SBBSecho 3.28-Linux master/123f2d28a Jul 12 2025 GCC 12.2.0   
   BBSID: CAPCITY2   
   CHRS: ASCII 1   
   FORMAT: flowed   
   "Gravely disappointed"  UK hit Apple with encryption backdoor order, again   
      
   Date:   
   Fri, 03 Oct 2025 13:02:04 +0000   
      
   Description:   
   After announcing a U-turn on the previous encryption backdoor order, the UK   
   hit Apple again with a similar demand. This time, British users' data are the   
   sole target.   
      
   FULL STORY   
      
   Just when Apple thought it had finally won the battle to save its advanced   
   encryption in the UK, authorities dropped a new order to demand a backdoor   
   into the Big Tech giant's cloud storage service. This time, British users'   
   data are the sole target.    
      
   The Home Office first served Apple with a Technical Capability Notice (TCN)   
   under the 2016 Investigatory Powers Act back in January. A request that   
   prompted the US company to kill its iCloud's end-to-end encryption feature in   
   February to avoid building the requested backdoor.    
      
   Fast-forward to August, and the UK agreed to make a U-turn following mounting   
   pressure from US authorities. Despite being welcomed, the decision left   
   digital rights experts with a bittersweet taste as the power to undermine   
   encryption would remain in the UK law.    
      
   Now, less than two months later, experts' concerns turn out to be   
   well-founded. As the Financial Times reported on Wednesday (October 1), the   
   Home Office issued a new encryption backdoor demand in early September, which   
   would only apply to the data of British citizens.    
      
   The Home Office has refused to either confirm or deny the existence of such    
   an order.    
      
   Privacy campaigners, however, see the government's demand as an assault on   
   people's privacy and security that could ultimately have repercussions for    
   the UK economy at large.    
      
   "Today it's Apple, but tomorrow the same secret demand could be made of other   
   companies. If global firms see the UK as a market where they must weaken   
   security, they may leave rather than forfeit the trust of their customers,"   
   said Robin Wilton, Internet Society's Senior Director for Internet Trust.    
   "The UK must not set a precedent that jeopardises security, privacy, and   
   trust, whether worldwide or at home.   
      
   What's the order mean for Apple's UK users?   
      
   Talking to the Financial Times on Wednesday, Apple said it's "gravely   
   disappointed" that the company won't be able to reintroduce its iCloud   
   Advanced Data Protection (ADP) for UK users.    
      
   While not a default feature, once enabled, Apple's Advanced Data Protection   
   (ADP) provides an extra layer of protection across all iCloud-stored data by   
   using end-to-end encryption technology, meaning not even Apple can access the   
   files. An extra security measure that Brits have been unable to use for   
   months.    
      
   As the company explains in an official blog post , however, all Apple's   
   communication services, such as iMessage and FaceTime, remain end-to-end   
   encrypted globally, including in the UK.   
      
   Nonetheless, "We are gravely disappointed that the protections provided by    
   ADP are not available to our customers in the UK, given the continuing rise    
   of data breaches and other threats to customer privacy," said Apple.    
      
   We have never built a back door, and we never will    
    -- Apple   
      
   Encryption is a crucial piece of technology that the likes of Signal ,   
   WhatsApp, ProtonMail , and even the best VPN apps use to protect our private   
   communications and data from unauthorized access.    
      
   Events like the Salt Typhoon attack on all the major US telecoms have shown,   
   time and time again, how encryption is crucial for the privacy and safety of   
   everyone's data. Even FBI and CISA experts have called on citizens to switch   
   to encrypted services in the aftermath of this unprecedented cyberattack.    
      
   Matthew Hodgson, the CEO of Element (a UK-based firm developing encrypted   
   messaging and collaboration solutions), points out how the UK government   
   remains unperturbed by how other nations and experts value end-to-end   
   encryption .    
      
   He said: "This is not a question of balance between security and privacy.   
   Weakening encryption by default makes everyone less secure. It is impossible   
   to create a 'safe' backdoor in an encrypted system. History has shown us that   
   a backdoor for the government is a backdoor for criminals to exploit."    
      
   That's exactly why Apple remains firm in its position. "As we have said many   
   times before, we have never built a back door or master key to any of our   
   products or services, and we never will."   
      
   ======================================================================   
   Link to news story:   
   https://www.techradar.com/computing/cyber-security/gravely-disappointed-apple-   
   hit-by-encryption-backdoor-order-again   
      
   $$   
   --- SBBSecho 3.28-Linux   
    * Origin: capitolcityonline.net * Telnet/SSH:2022/HTTP (1:2320/105)   
   SEEN-BY: 105/81 106/201 128/187 129/14 305 153/7715 154/110 218/700   
   SEEN-BY: 226/30 227/114 229/110 111 206 300 307 317 400 426 428 470   
   SEEN-BY: 229/664 700 705 266/512 291/111 320/219 322/757 342/200 396/45   
   SEEN-BY: 460/58 712/848 902/26 2320/0 105 304 3634/12 5075/35   
   PATH: 2320/105 229/426