Apple's Two-Tier Encryption in the UK
UK users who enabled Apple's Advanced Data Protection before February 2025 keep E2EE while new users cannot, after a secret Technical Capability Notice.
Apple withdrew Advanced Data Protection (ADP) for new UK users in February 2025 after the Washington Post revealed a secret Technical Capability Notice issued in January 2025 under the Investigatory Powers Act 2016, demanding Apple maintain capability to access encrypted iCloud data worldwide. Users who enabled ADP before the withdrawal retain end-to-end encryption, creating a two-tier system among identical devices. The piece traces the history from the 2016 San Bernardino FBI case to the current Investigatory Powers Tribunal challenge backed by Privacy International.
- Secret TCN issued January 2025 under Investigatory Powers Act 2016
- Notice reportedly demanded iCloud access capability for users worldwide
- ADP unavailable to UK users who missed the February 2025 window
- Investigatory Powers Tribunal challenge backed by Privacy International
From the original article
13 min read at macanorak.com
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