Tech Desk 
Feb 22, 2025
Apple has removed its Advanced Data Protection (ADP) feature for iCloud backups in the UK, following government demands for access to user data. This means UK users can no longer enable end-to-end encryption for their cloud storage, weakening their data security.
The ADP feature is used to offer solid encryption on various iCloud data so that even Apple wouldn't have access to the information of the users.
From Friday, UK users attempting to turn on this feature get an error message, and current users will eventually be required to switch it off. Other encrypted offerings, including iMessage and FaceTime, aren't impacted.
Without ADP, Apple will be able to obtain user data in some instances and transfer it to authorities if it is legally obliged to do so. Cyber security experts indicate this action compromises cyber security for UK users, exposing their data more to hacking and monitoring.
Apple's decades-long encryption battle
For years, governments and tech companies have disagreed on encryption. Authorities argue that encrypted data makes it difficult to investigate crimes, while tech firms underscore the importance of user privacy.
Moreover, Apple previously abandoned full iCloud encryption plans in 2018 after pressure from the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) but later introduced ADP in 2022.
The United States FBI has frequently referred to robust encryption as "warrant-proof," rendering lawful access to digital evidence challenging. Apple, however, has always argued that developing access for the government would also open user data to hackers.
What should UK users expect?
Loughborough University's Professor Oli Buckley cautions that the removal of ADP is a strong weakening of iCloud security. "Once a door is open, it's not long before someone will find a way to use it," he explained. While existing encrypted data is still secure, this adjustment leaves millions of UK users vulnerable, raising questions about digital privacy.
