Apple Takes on UK Government Over Encrypted iCloud Backups
Apple is facing another legal challenge from the UK government over encrypted data access. The company has filed a lawsuit at the Investigatory Powers Tribunal against a Technical Capability Notice (TCN) issued by the Home Office, which demands backdoor access to encrypted iCloud backups.
The TCN is part of the UK's ongoing efforts to gain access to encrypted data, and Apple has stated that it will not comply with the order. The company argues that its Advanced Data Protection feature provides end-to-end encryption, meaning only the user holds the keys to their data.
The case is being heard by the Investigatory Powers Tribunal, a specialized court that handles complaints about surveillance by UK intelligence and law enforcement agencies. Apple filed its legal challenge in July 2026, after initially disabling Advanced Data Protection for UK users entirely.
Privacy International and Liberty, two advocacy organizations, are also contesting the TCN regime alongside Apple. The encryption used for iCloud backups is conceptually identical to that used by Bitcoin wallets, private keys, and blockchain transactions.