UK Has Dropped Apple Backdoor Request, US Spy Chief Says

The UK has withdrawn its demand for Apple to create a backdoor into its Advanced Data Protection (ADP) encryption system. US Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard confirmed the news on X, saying it came after months of collaboration between the two governments.

“The UK has agreed to drop its mandate for Apple to provide a ‘back door’ that would have enabled access to the protected encrypted data of American citizens and encroached on our civil liberties,” she wrote.

UK’s original request and legal framework

Data stored under ADP offers the highest level of protection the company provides, keeping information hidden even from Apple itself. In February, reports surfaced that the UK’s Home Secretary had invoked a Technical Capability Notice under the Investigatory Powers Act of 2016, seeking a backdoor into encrypted iCloud worldwide, including files covered ...