Apple Takes a Stand: Challenges UK Governments Backdoor Access Demand for iCloud Security

Apple has launched a legal dispute against the UK government regarding a request to establish a backdoor for encrypted iCloud accounts, according to Financial Times. The tech giant has submitted a complaint aiming to overturn this directive. Apple has appealed to the Investigatory Powers Tribunal (IPT), which acts as an independent legal authority.

This action follows a leak that disclosed the directive from the UK government, which mandated Apple to create the specified backdoor for iCloud encrypted backups. This was seen as an effort by the government to compel the company to grant access to law enforcement data. Apple did not comply, and instead announced it would terminate national availability of the highly encrypted version of iCloud storage, referred to as Advanced Data Protection.

The Investigatory Powers Act of 2016 grants UK authorities the capability to request access to encrypted accounts in this manner, but this is reportedly the first occasion that such a request has been legally contested. The IPT has accepted Apple’s appeal and will evaluate the legitimacy of the UK’s demands.

The hearing could take place as early as this month. It is uncertain whether the session will be public, as the UK government might claim that it should be conducted privately due to national security concerns.

Apple has not provided any comments regarding its lawsuit against the UK government, simply referencing a statement from last month. This statement indicated that «we have never created a backdoor or master key for any of our products or services, and we never will.»

UK security minister Dan Jarvis has supported the request for access to encrypted accounts on a case-by-case basis, asserting that «the Investigatory Powers Act incorporates strong safeguards and independent oversight to protect privacy, ensuring that data is acquired only in exceptional circumstances, and only when absolutely necessary and proportionate.»

The initial request would have permitted UK law enforcement to gain access to an encrypted iCloud account upon obtaining a warrant authorized by a judge. It is important to note that even Apple itself cannot access this data.