Apple Files New Legal Challenge to UK Demand for Access to Encrypted iCloud Data

What is a "technical capability notice"?

It is a secret legal order issued under the UK's Investigatory Powers Act that can compel a company to provide access to customer data, including data that is encrypted TechCrunch,MacRumors. The UK government says the powers are necessary to investigate terrorism and child sexual abuse MacRumors.

What has Apple said publicly about the case?

An Apple spokesperson confirmed the legal appeal to AFP but declined to comment further, re-sharing a statement from September: "As we have said many times before, we have never built a backdoor or master key to any of our products or services and we never will" Vanguard,Malay Mail,BFMTV. The UK government did not immediately respond to a request for comment Vanguard,Malay Mail.

How did Apple respond to the earlier UK demand?

Rather than build the access the UK sought, Apple withdrew its Advanced Data Protection security feature for users in the UK, reducing the level of encryption available to them Euronews English. The current case turns on whether the government can compel access to data that Advanced Data Protection would otherwise make unreadable even to Apple Euronews English,TechCrunch.