The UK government asked for the right to see the user data - data that currently Apple does not even access. As a result, Apple has decided it will no longer be possible to activate ADP in the UK. ADP is Advanced Data Protection which means only account holders can view items such as photos or documents they have stored online through end-to-end encryption. This means that not all UK customer data stored on iCloud will be fully encrypted. iCloud is Apple's cloud storage service.
ADP is a service that users can opt into. UK users attempting to turn it on will receive an error message saying that Apple can no longer offer the service to the UK, and existing users of the service will be disabled at a later date.
BBC Report: 'Apple pulls data protection tool after UK government security row'.
What does this mean?
With ADP removed, it means that UK users' iCloud data, such as photos, documents and backups will no longer have the end-to-end encryption - the highest level of protection. Potentially it could make users more vulnerable to data breaches and unauthorised surveillance; it also means with the correct approval the data could potentially be accessed by Apple or law enforcement agencies.What can we do?
🔒Use local backups to store sensitive data🔒Use third party encrypted services
🔒Review your cloud settings such as consider disabling iCloud backups for some files. Organisations should review data security policies and consider alternative encrypted cloud solutions.
🔒Educate staff (and students) on digital privacy.
🔒Every day users may not notice any changes - it is not known how many users had signed up for ADP. This is an ongoing situation and we will update accordingly.
While every day use will not currently be affected, organisations should assess the long-term risks of using Apple's cloud services without ADP. You may wish to review any previous due diligence. We would advise our customers to review our Supplier Due Diligence Best Practice Area.