Apple has reportedly been ordered by the UK government to create a backdoor that would give security officials access to users’ encrypted iCloud backups. If implemented, British security services would have access to the backups of any user worldwide, not just Brits, and Apple would not be permitted to alert users that their encryption was compromised.

Replies (48)

Default avatar
npub1am50...ks29 10 months ago
Absolutely ridiculous. So glad I cut my tether to Apple last year. Now I try to stick with a separate service per need instead of putting all my eggs in the same basket. Worst case scenario I can switch out individual services if something bad happens or if any of the services become bad actors. The scary thing about Apple and Google is that many people literally have their entire digital lives with them.
Derek Ross's avatar Derek Ross
Apple has reportedly been ordered by the UK government to create a backdoor that would give security officials access to users’ encrypted iCloud backups. If implemented, British security services would have access to the backups of any user worldwide, not just Brits, and Apple would not be permitted to alert users that their encryption was compromised.
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Lostdog's avatar
Lostdog 10 months ago
In the UK they can already lock you up for years if you refuse to unlock your phone...
You can use a Mac without an Apple account. Install to skip the AppStore. Get a Pixel with GrapheneOS for a smartphone.
Derek Ross's avatar Derek Ross
Apple has reportedly been ordered by the UK government to create a backdoor that would give security officials access to users’ encrypted iCloud backups. If implemented, British security services would have access to the backups of any user worldwide, not just Brits, and Apple would not be permitted to alert users that their encryption was compromised.
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Default avatar
npub1hk9w...ppcr 10 months ago
I think the bigger story is the state yet again looking for back doors to encryption from corporations.
Pra você que gosta de lamber as botas da maçã: #Apple #Brasil #Backdor
Derek Ross's avatar Derek Ross
Apple has reportedly been ordered by the UK government to create a backdoor that would give security officials access to users’ encrypted iCloud backups. If implemented, British security services would have access to the backups of any user worldwide, not just Brits, and Apple would not be permitted to alert users that their encryption was compromised.
View quoted note →
Default avatar
npub1h02u...5an4 10 months ago
One issue with iphones and android phones with goog accounts that that are always reporting back to HQ. Another is that they both have advertising IDs that are tracked across all sites you visit. I personally prefer a phone that doesn't do those things. Yes, not using icloud is better than using icloud. But there are many many levels to the ways that the harvest you.
My pixel with GrapheneOS is better for sure, but still use an iPhone for work and light browsing… have always kept iCloud disabled though… so, UK shouldn’t get anything from me not using the cloud…right?
Rodrigo's avatar
Rodrigo 10 months ago
If it were only that simple. Remember that digital emissions do not dissipate in the air. They stay in some server somewhere that you don't even know about. In other words, even if you delete, you don't know for a fact that they have been completely eliminated from other servers.
Rodrigo's avatar
Rodrigo 10 months ago
You can use a private server such as the ones from @npub126nt...e9ll You won't regret it and it comes with lifetime customer service support. If you want more info DM me.
You can use encryption on iCloud and encrypted SSDs, so no one can access them without your secret key. If Apple needed to have a backdoor for this 🤨👀, I have no idea how they’d do it. A backdoor on a Bitcoin 12-word seed? Impossible.
Default avatar
npub1d3ud...z3u2 10 months ago
Oh man i hope that is not the way it goes. Apple was my Bitcoin to Windows Fiat in the 90s - Tim Apple is no Steve Jobs, but I'm so rooting for them to keep Privacy a competitive business advantage in the long run and not cave in.
nobody's avatar
nobody 10 months ago
Use Graphene OS for mobile, use linux for pc!
Derek Ross's avatar Derek Ross
Apple has reportedly been ordered by the UK government to create a backdoor that would give security officials access to users’ encrypted iCloud backups. If implemented, British security services would have access to the backups of any user worldwide, not just Brits, and Apple would not be permitted to alert users that their encryption was compromised.
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nbyte's avatar
nbyte 10 months ago
you forgot the /sarc tag
Thanks. It’s a disgusting law and an amazing word salad too. It’s not straightforward though, and doesn’t apply to be being stopped by police in the street etc. Any law like this that requires high level approval, will be used rarely and will only be deemed proportionate for serious cases. The person would have also need to have been arrested or had a warrant issued against them. I’m not excusing or defending it though. It’s a good example of the never ending creep of authoritarianism. It’s gonna be really hard to prove against individuals too, where “I’ve forgotten” would go a long way.
Default avatar
npub1h02u...5an4 10 months ago
I'm no expert. Apple certainly collects data. And I do not know if there is any metadata stored in icloud. Meaning sure, you don't store on pics and videos and documents there. But do you back up your phone to it? What other data is sent?I don't know the answer to that.
Default avatar
npub1deml...thv4 10 months ago
"security officials" is really a weird way to spell "attackers".
hasky's avatar
hasky 10 months ago
apple privacy rest in peace
illuminodes's avatar
illuminodes 10 months ago
Haha not on our world. See ya!
Derek Ross's avatar Derek Ross
Apple has reportedly been ordered by the UK government to create a backdoor that would give security officials access to users’ encrypted iCloud backups. If implemented, British security services would have access to the backups of any user worldwide, not just Brits, and Apple would not be permitted to alert users that their encryption was compromised.
View quoted note →
Who cares what the UK government says. Apple will never do it unless they want to kill their business
That’s ridiculous. Isn’t advanced data protection supposed to be end to end encrypted?
Do not do cloud backups. Go local or just yolo on device. Or some guy with bad teeth will have access to all your passwords, photos emails, etc. #fckthisdystopia
Derek Ross's avatar Derek Ross
Apple has reportedly been ordered by the UK government to create a backdoor that would give security officials access to users’ encrypted iCloud backups. If implemented, British security services would have access to the backups of any user worldwide, not just Brits, and Apple would not be permitted to alert users that their encryption was compromised.
View quoted note →
Frank's avatar
Frank 10 months ago
It would be much worse living in the UK these days than most places. I think all phones are already compromised at the hardware level. Even grapheneOS can’t compete with hardware level spying. Real anarchist and cypherpunks died a long time ago. Maybe a few left here and there in the aftermath.
Fotoart's avatar
Fotoart 10 months ago
Believe it or not, many people are scared they can't properly protect that private key and lose everything. Wouldn't doubt some think the same about Bitcoin. This is where multisig might come in handy, whether through family members, trusted friends, hardware keys, whatever, but that could be the bridge that helps them cross to being more independent.
Even if we could trust the UK government, it’s still a terrible idea as it would only be a matter of time before bad actors can access the same backdoor!
Fotoart's avatar
Fotoart 10 months ago
If you aren't using an open source client that you can fully audit and generate your keys client side, then assume they do have your keys.
Fotoart's avatar
Fotoart 10 months ago
Many alternatives to consider... Proton Drive, Mega , your own device with Next cloud, running maybe Umbrel, or Start9... but come on everyone... Apple users are there for the convenience, the artistic rendition of that convenience and maybe even the mirroring of the people they admire have them. Apple iCloud is expensive but it's convenient. To sell better security, you need to also educate the inconvenience that will come around it that is supposed to be valued for that extra privacy/security. So if you don't value that extra privacy, they ain't going to care that much about their privacy.
serenitys forge's avatar
serenitys forge 10 months ago
Something similar has happened to andriod users so go into Settings > Apps and get deleting. image
Get a second mobile with the @grapheneos or you become a digital slave with no rights, no privacy, with censored and highly manipulated feed to stop you from voting, to make you buy, consume, and keep under the strict control of the ai police. Our meetup on the 21st of February is about ... #grapheneos