Apple Takes Legal Action Against UK’s Demand for iCloud Backdoor

Apple is challenging the legality of a UK government demand for a backdoor into iCloud encryption in court. The company filed a complaint with the Investigatory Powers Tribunal, an independent judicial body that reviews complaints against UK security services. This marks the first time provisions in the 2016 Investigatory Powers Act allowing authorities to break encryption are being tested before the tribunal. Apple removed its Advanced Data Protection feature for iCloud backups in the UK in response to the demand, rather than compromising global encryption. The case could go to court this month, and the hearing’s details may not be made public beyond initial reporting. The US government has also expressed concerns over the potential breach of a privacy agreement between the US and UK.