What Apple pulling UK Advanced Data Protection means for you

Apple has occupied newspapers by withdrawing the most advanced data security tool for UK customers.

It removes the protection of advanced data (ADP) after the house office has requested the right to be able to access the data on which it is applied – something that Apple itself cannot do today.

Instead of compliance with this request, the technology giant said on Friday It would stop the new UK records to the tool And remove the arrival of the current user at a later time.

The move prompted criticizing the actions of the UK government – but also confusion about the protection that remains for Apple customers in the United Kingdom.

ADP is a data security tool, designed to supply devices users such as iPhone devices in a safer way to protect data stored in their iCloud accounts.

Its elements, including backups, images, notes and audio notes, are given a virtual encryption.

The company can order this data by applying the law.

Meanwhile, ADP applies an additional level of protection through what is known as the end of the end to the end, which means that Apple cannot see or access data – The user can only.

Since Apple does not have a key, it may mean a loss of access to your account completely losing your data.

This also means that law enforcement agencies do not have a way to access this data as well.

The tool is independent of the protection of the blue messages sent with IMessage, the passwords stored in the ICLOUD switch, health application data and FaceTime, which from the end to the end virtually encrypted.

If you are in the UK and don’t run ADP, you will not see a change in the way your data is protected as a result of its disabled Apple.

ICloud data will remain protected by standard encryption, and as before, it is still possible to access it by Apple.

But this means that you cannot now apply it to ICLOUD storage protection by ending, even if you want it.

Meanwhile, people in the UK who were enabled ADP were enabled before Friday’s change You will lose access to it later.

Apple did not say when, nor the number of UK users will be affected.

Some experts have caused his warning because of his removal, saying that he will leave users less protection and have broader and global consequences.

Grame Stewart from Check Check Point told Chebecurity Point that it will not mean “a complete free presence for all” as law enforcement must be an order to request iCloud data.

But he said that other governments may look forward to repeating Apple’s request in the UK for the so -called “back door” of the encrypted cloud data.

Cyber ​​security experts likened the idea of ​​creating the back door to a person who leaves the keys to his home under a wiped – which mainly creates a loophole that anyone, including bad actors,.

Digital Rights Group Electronic Border Foundation He said If Apple has complied with the request, it has created the back door not only for UK users “but for people all over the world, regardless of their whereabouts or citizenship they have.”

Apple BBC told a statement that it “has never built the back or main door of any of our products, and we will not.”

Like Apple, Google He says Standard encryption is used through a range of its data protection services as it moves between users and services and data centers.

The search giant, which owns Android, has provided more protection to copy the Android phone system Since 2018.

It uses a mechanism that creates a random safety key on a device, which is encrypted by the user lock screen, pattern or pin.

Google says she cannot see this safety key and that the information protected from the passcode is safely sent to high safety chips in its data centers.

But the protection itself does not extend to Google’s pictures or content stored in Google Drive – which does not end to the end.

It also has Advanced protection program For people who want more security for their account.

This depends on the use of corridors to check the account holder.

Some Samsung Galaxy smartphones also contain “improved data protection” that codes backups, calls, calls, applications and settings And more than end to end.