Apple has finally given security experts the enhanced iCloud encryption that had been asking for years with the launch of its new “Advanced Data Protection for iCloud” and they couldn’t be more pleased.
Recently, Apple announced three new security features coming to its users worldwide in 2023: iMessage Contact Key Verification, Security Keys for Apple ID, and Advanced Data Protection for iCloud. The features are designed to further strengthen users’ security and privacy, especially for those users who are most vulnerable to sophisticated attacks like human rights activities, journalists, and others.
Apple’s enhanced iCloud encryption was long overdue
The new ‘Advanced Data Protection” feature expands end-to-end encryption protection to more data categories on iCloud like Photos, Backups, reminders, and others. Now a total of 23 data categories on iCloud are protected with end-to-end encryption which means they can only be decrypted on a trusted device and no one else, including Apple.
Applauding the expansion of iCloud end-to-end encryption, multiple cybersecurity and privacy organizations say that these changes reflect Apple’s commitment to safeguarding users’ privacy but were long overdue.
Fight for the Future said that new iCloud encryption has turned the company’s privacy-focused marketing into reality and hopes that it will adopt RCS next.
“Apple’s reputation as the pro-privacy tech company has long been at odds with the reality that iCloud backups aren’t secured by end-to-end encryption. This news means people’s personal messages, documents, and data will be secure from law enforcement, hackers, and Apple itself.”
In a statement, the Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF) said that the tech giant has renewed its commitment to privacy with the latest iCloud update.
We applaud Apple for listening to experts, child advocates, and users who want to protect their most sensitive data. Encryption is one of the most important tools we have for maintaining privacy and security online. That’s why we included the demand that Apple let users encrypt iCloud backups in the Fix It Already campaign that we launched in 2019.
EFF strongly campaigned against the company’s CSAM Detection for iCloud Photo feature. The group argued that the ineffective hashing system would do more harm than good by turning iPhones into surveillance devices.
Calling the new Advanced Data Protection “essential and overdue”, Surveillance Technology Oversight Project or S.T.O.P expressed disappointment over the feature’s opt-in functionality. Its executive director Fox Cahn said, “it’s good to see Apple’s privacy protections catching up with its sales pitch, but making these protections opt-in will leave most users vulnerable.”
CEO of messaging app Signal, Meredith Whittaker said that Apple took a “great” decision to expand iCloud end-to-end encryption. “There’s been enough pressure and enough narrative work that they see the side of history forming. It’s really incredible.”
However, the world’s largest intelligence agency is not pleased with the new changes. Its officials said that it would make it harder for them to do their jobs.
