Court Papers Suggest UK Sought Wider Access to Apple User Data Than Previously Revealed
Fresh court filings have raised new questions over the extent of the UK government’s efforts to gain access to Apple’s encrypted user data, suggesting the push may have gone further than initially understood.
According to documents from the Investigatory Powers Tribunal (IPT), Apple was served with a technical capability notice between late 2024 and early 2025 under the UK’s Investigatory Powers Act. While it was previously believed the demand targeted only information secured by Apple’s Advanced Data Protection (ADP) service, the filing indicates the order could have extended to broader categories of iCloud data worldwide.
The papers state that Apple was asked to “provide and maintain a capability to disclose categories of data stored within a cloud-based backup service and to remove electronic protection” where feasible. Crucially, the obligations were described as global, not limited to UK-based users.
ADP, an opt-in feature that encrypts iCloud backups so thoroughly that even Apple cannot access them, was at the centre of a dispute earlier this year when the UK Home Office reportedly sought access. Apple later withdrew the service in the UK, citing concerns over privacy and security.
The new revelations appear to clash with recent assurances from US officials. Just last week, US Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard said the UK had dropped its request for a “back door” into Apple’s systems that could have exposed the encrypted data of American citizens. The IPT’s August 27 filing, however, suggests the demand may not have been fully abandoned.
Neither Apple nor the UK government has publicly commented on the latest court disclosures. Apple maintains on its website that privacy is a “fundamental human right” and has repeatedly pledged never to create back doors in its products.
Cybersecurity experts warn that once such access points exist, they risk exploitation by malicious actors as well as governments. Western authorities have long pressed Apple to weaken its encryption, but the company has resisted. Notably, Apple defied a 2016 US court order to unlock an iPhone used by a mass shooter, with the FBI ultimately finding its own way into the device.
The IPT, which hears complaints about the actions of UK public bodies and intelligence services, is still considering the case. The documents leave open the possibility that the UK government has not completely ruled out seeking global access to Apple’s encrypted user data.
