Apple has initiated a legal challenge against the UK government regarding its demand for a backdoor to access encrypted iCloud accounts. This legal action follows a report from the Financial Times that revealed the government’s request.
The company filed a complaint with the Investigatory Powers Tribunal (IPT), an independent judicial body, in hopes of reversing the order. The UK government’s demand requires Apple to create a backdoor for accessing iCloud encrypted backups, aimed at facilitating data availability for law enforcement.
In response to the UK government’s request, Apple opted to discontinue national access to its strongly encrypted version of iCloud storage, known as Advanced Data Protection. The Investigatory Powers Act of 2016 permits UK authorities to demand access to encrypted accounts, but this marks the first instance of such a demand facing legal scrutiny.
The IPT has accepted Apple’s case and will assess the legality of the UK’s demands. A hearing could occur as early as this month, although it remains uncertain whether the proceedings will be open to the public, as the UK government may seek to limit access on national security grounds.
Apple has refrained from commenting specifically on its legal actions, reiterating its stance from a previous statement that it has never created a backdoor or master key for its products or services and will not do so in the future.
UK security minister Dan Jarvis has defended the demand for access, asserting that the Investigatory Powers Act includes robust safeguards and independent oversight to protect privacy. He emphasized that data access is pursued only on a case-by-case basis and under exceptional circumstances, requiring a warrant approved by a judge.
Notably, even Apple itself does not have access to the data in question.