Apple Challenges UK Government’s Push to Weaken Cloud Encryption

Apple has launched an appeal against a directive from the British government that would require the tech giant to weaken the security of its encrypted cloud storage, according to a recent decision by the Investigatory Powers Tribunal (IPT). The legal move signals a deepening conflict between national security interests and digital privacy protections.

In a written ruling made public on Monday, the IPT confirmed that Apple is contesting the order and rejected a request from the UK Home Office to keep even the most basic details of the case, including Apple’s involvement, confidential. According to Reuters, the tribunal determined that disclosing the existence of the appeal would not pose a threat to national security or the public interest.

The dispute centers on what is known as a “technical capability notice” (TCN), a legal instrument that allows UK authorities to compel companies to enable access to encrypted data. Per Reuters, The Washington Post previously reported in February that Apple had received such a notice, which would effectively force the company to create a backdoor into encrypted content stored in iCloud—even if the data belongs to users outside the UK.

Apple, a staunch advocate for end-to-end encryption, has consistently argued that creating backdoors undermines security for all users. The company maintains that once a backdoor exists, it could be exploited not only by governments but also by malicious actors, a view widely shared by cybersecurity professionals.

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In what appears to be a direct response to the UK’s order, Apple disabled its most advanced iCloud encryption feature—Advanced Data Protection—for new users in Britain. Though the company has not made a public statement on the matter, media reports suggest the decision was part of a broader effort to comply while pursuing legal remedies.

The Financial Times had earlier reported that Apple was appealing the UK government’s demands, but the case has remained largely under wraps. Neither Apple nor the Home Office has confirmed or denied the details reported by the media. As noted in the IPT’s ruling, “This judgment should not be taken as an indication that the media reporting is or is not accurate.”

According to Reuters, the Home Office had argued that merely acknowledging the existence of the case could endanger national security. However, Judges Rabinder Singh and Jeremy Johnson rejected this claim, concluding that transparency in this instance would not be detrimental.

Source: Reuters