From CNET: The UK government has demanded that Apple weaken security measures that keep people's data private so that it can more easily access iCloud accounts and other services, The Washington Post reports.
Security officials have asked the company to create backdoor access through its security system, which would allow it to access the data of users not just in the UK, but around the world, as part of criminal investigations. The request was reportedly made last month by Home Secretary Yvette Cooper in line with the newly expanded Investigatory Powers Act, a controversial piece of legislation known informally as the "Snooper's Charter" that permits surveillance by law enforcement and security and intelligence agencies.
Apple's end-to-end encryption, which it calls Advanced Data Protection, means that only you, the Apple account holder, can see what's in your iCloud folder. End-to-end encryption is considered the gold standard in user privacy protections -- not even Apple can get around ADP. Security experts argue that once backdoor access of the kind the UK government is now requesting is created, people's accounts become exponentially more vulnerable to hackers and other security threats.
The Home Office said in a statement that it declined to comment on operational matters, including "confirming or denying" that it had issued Apple with a notice under the Investigatory Powers Act. Apple did not respond to a request for comment.
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