Unlock free Digest editor
Roula Khalaf, editor of FT, chooses her favorite story in this weekly newsletter.
The British government has ordered Apple to grant secret access to encrypted storage data in the clouds of their customers using controversial supervision known as the “Snoopers Charter”, in a move that could weaken safety for iPhone users around the world.
Last month, the US Technology Group received a “technical ability notification” under the Law on Investigation Authority in the UK, demanding from the iPhone manufacturer to create a “rear door” of his encrypted ICloud storage services, according to people who are familiar with the issue.
This move would allow law enforcement and security services to touch the iPhone backup and other cloud information that is otherwise inaccessible, even Apple is. The law has extraterritorial powers, which means that the British enforcement of the law could access the encrypted data of Apple customers anywhere in the world, including the USA.
The demand in the UK is the latest point in the long -standing battle between the technological industry and the law enforcement in order to use encryption in applications for the exchange of messages and storage services.
Billions of people around the world are relied on encryption in applications provided by technological companies, including Apple, Google, Meta and signal to ensure their personal information. However, safety and law officials claim that it protects criminals, terrorists and abusers of children, which makes it difficult to collect digital evidence for persecution and intelligence service for national security.
A spokesman for the registry office said: “We do not comment on operational matters, including, for example, confirmation or denying the existence of any such notice.” Apple refused to comment.
First Washington Post reported An Apple’s UK order.
The Law on Investigation Authority in the UK, called “Snoopers Charter” Critics when adopted in 2016 was updated last year in the last weeks of the conservative government before the election in July.
According to the legislation that has been widespread by human rights and privacy activists, as well as the technological companies of silicon valley, recipients of technical abilities are not allowed to recognize their existence or warn users that their safety is weakened, unless the Secretary of State approval for this .
Apple said earlier that the rules would force withdraw Safe services to customers in the UK because “would never install the rear in its products”, suggesting that it can decide to exclude advanced cloud protection rather than compromise encryption.
Security officials have long struggled with tension between users privacy and occasional need for improved surveillance.
“When so much conspiracy takes place on the Internet, our ability to follow the internet activity of those who mean harm is extremely crucial to us,” said Ken McCallum, head of the British Domestic Intelligence Agency, I said, I saidTo speech Last October.
“Maintaining a proportional, lawful approach to such communications despite the increasing over -committing encryption is sometimes our only means of discovering and understanding these threats. Privacy and exceptional legal approach can coexist if absolutist positions are avoided. World class encryption experts are convinced that, “he added.
In 2016, Apple led a high battle against the US Federal Investigation Bureau, who wanted Apple to help break into the iPhone who used the striker in San Bernardino’s terrorist attack.
At the beginning of 2024, when the latest amendments to the Investigative Authority Act moved through Parliament, Apple said it was “deeply concerned”, the changes in the user have taken the risk.
“It is an unprecedented excessive state of the Government and, if it was adopted, the UK could try secretly to globally protection of new users, preventing us from ever offering them customers,” Apple said at the time.
Last month, the Europol chief scored the resistance of technological companies to cooperate with the police for access to encrypted messages, saying that they have a “social responsibility” for opening the criminal data.
In early 2023, Apple performed advanced data protection for ICloud as an optional service that users must decide to include. On the contrary, Apple’s Imessage service, such as his rivals WhatsApp and the signal, is encrypted by the default settings.
People in the technological industry are concerned that, targeting a relatively little -known Apple service, the UK could set up a precedent, which will then be used to force technological companies to create backgrounds in more popular applications.
Foundation for Information Technology and Innovation, non-profit Think-Think based in Washington, which includes several major technological companies among its donors, including Apple and Meta, a British move “dangerous and unjustified excessive transition that threatens security and privacy of individuals and companies throughout the world ”.
“Requesting that companies deliberately undermine their own security features cross the critical red line,” said Daniel Castro, the ITIF Vice President.
“Since the United Kingdom command is applied globally, its adverse effects will be expanded far beyond its boundaries, underpinning users’ safety around the world. . . Allowing one people to set a precedent that threatens global digital safety should not be unquestionable. “
