UK reportedly demands secret ‘back door’ to Apple users’ iCloud accounts

The British government has reportedly issued a secret legal demand to Apple to provide it with access to encrypted iCloud accounts, according to The Washington Post.

The demand, known as a Technical Capability Notice (TCN), is a controversial provision included in the country’s Investigatory Powers Act. It is not illegal to report on the existence of a TCN, however the individual target of a notice is instructed not to disclose it and can face criminal proceedings if they do so.

The Washington Post’s report describes the demand as creating a “back door allowing [British authorities] to retrieve all the content any Apple user worldwide has uploaded to the cloud,” although the British government says such notices are intended only to force technology companies to retain the ability to comply with legal warrants for data.

Apple introduced optional end-to-end encryption (E2EE) for iCloud users in December 2022, despite complaints from law enforcement agencies in both the United Kingdom and United States that such an action would undermine efforts to tackle serious crime, including terrorism and child abuse.

Similar arguments regarding end-to-end encryption are widespread, with one of Britain’s most senior law enforcement officials describing Meta’s move to E2EE messaging in December 2023 as an abdication of the company’s responsibility to keep children safe.

Technology companies have argued and lobbied that alternative security procedures can provide law enforcement officials’ with access to the content of users’ accounts and chats. Law enforcement officials in turn argue that such metadata does not meet the evidentiary bar for legal actions against the most serious threats.

Neither Apple nor the British government immediately responded to a request for comment.

Editor's Note: Story corrected 9:20 a.m. Eastern U.S. time to specify that recipients of a TCN can face criminal proceedings if they disclose it.