Apple Files An Appeal Over UK’s Demand For Access To Encrypted iCloud Files

Apple has reportedly taken the UK to task over its demand to be allowed access to encrypted iCloud files owned by iPhone users. The company previously refused to add a backdoor to allow encryption to be bypassed and subsequently removed an encryption feature from the UK entirely.

Now it’s reportedly filed an appeal with the Investigatory Powers Tribunal.

According to a Financial Times report, picked up by The Verge, the tribunal will now “consider whether the UK’s notice to Apple was lawful and, if not, could order it to be quashed.” It’s unclear when the case will be heard, but it could reportedly happen as soon as this month.

Apple’s Advanced Data Protection feature allows iPhone owners to add encryption to parts of their iCloud account and data that would not normally be protected. The UK’s demand for access to that data meant that Apple chose to remove the feature rather than add a backdoor. In the event that Apple should win the appeal, it seems likely that the Advanced Data Protection feature would be reinstated.

The UK government issued an order under its Investigatory Powers Act of 2016 earlier this year that would have given it access to data protected by Advanced Data Protection. In its current state, the feature prevents even Apple itself from accessing the data protected by ADP but a backdoor would change that — something Apple has so far refused to create.