Apple Withdraws Advanced Data Protection in the UK

How safe is your Data?

What It Means for Your Data Security

Apple has now withdrawn its Advanced Data Protection (ADP) tool in the UK in response to government regulation. This decision could impact on the security of your personal data stored in iCloud. But what does this mean for you?

What Is Advanced Data Protection (ADP)?

ADP is a security feature Apple introduced to encrypt your data stored in iCloud, to prevent  access for hackers, governments, or even Apple itself. This extra layer of security protected photos, messages, and other sensitive data from being accessed by anyone except you.

Why Did Apple Withdraw ADP in the UK?

The UK government wants access to encrypted data if required for national security or law enforcement.  Apple, rather than make changes to weaken its encryption that could compromise security, chose to withdraw the feature from UK users.

Without ADP, your iCloud data is less secure Apple still holds encryption keys for your iCloud data, meaning it can be accessed upon certain requests. Also, where there is a data breach, hackers may potentially access your personal files more easily. 

What Can You Do to Protect Your Data?

While ADP won’t be available in the UK, you can take extra steps to secure your data:

1.         Use local encryption  and store important files on a password-protected, encrypted hard drive instead of iCloud.

2.         Enable two-factor authentication (2FA) and add an extra layer of protection to your Apple account.

3.         Consider third-party encrypted storage services for stronger privacy protection.

4.         Use end-to-end encrypted messaging apps: Apps like Whats App or Telegram offer secure messaging without relying on iCloud backups.

Further Thoughts

Apple’s decision to withdraw ADP in the UK is a moment in an ongoing debate between privacy and government surveillance. While Apple continues to stand firm on user privacy, UK users now need to be cautious with their online data and consider alternative measures to protect files and messages.

February 2025