U.S. Intelligence Director Addresses UK's Apple Backdoor Demand

Tulsi Gabbard, the U.S. Director of National Intelligence, has addressed reports of a secret order from the UK government directing Apple to create a backdoor into encrypted iCloud data. In a letter dated February 25, 2025, to Senator Ron Wyden and Representative Andy Biggs, Gabbard confirmed she was not informed of the alleged directive—issued under the UK's Investigatory Powers Act of 2016—before it surfaced in the press. The order, which we wrote about earlier this month, reportedly demands Apple provide UK authorities with access to encrypted user data worldwide, a move that prompted the company to pull its Advanced Data Protection (ADP) feature for new UK users.Gabbard's letter, sent in response to a February 13 congressional inquiry from Wyden and Biggs, recognizes the serious implications of the UK's alleged order. She expressed "grave concern" about any foreign government mandating backdoors into American companies' systems, calling it a "clear and egregious violation" of U.S. citizens' privacy and a potential cybersecurity risk. The congressional letter had cited recent breaches, like the Salt Typhoon hack of U.S. telecoms and the 2023 Microsoft email compromise, as evidence of the dangers posed by weakened encryption.Continue ReadingSpotlight Deal:New Apple M4 Mac Mini On Sale for $549 [Deal]Share Article:Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Reddit, EmailFollow iClarified:Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Newsletter, App Store, YouTube

Feb 26, 2025 - 21:29

U.S. Intelligence Director Addresses UK's Apple Backdoor Demand

Tulsi Gabbard, the U.S. Director of National Intelligence, has addressed reports of a secret order from the UK government directing Apple to create a backdoor into encrypted iCloud data.

In a letter dated February 25, 2025, to Senator Ron Wyden and Representative Andy Biggs, Gabbard confirmed she was not informed of the alleged directive—issued under the UK's Investigatory Powers Act of 2016—before it surfaced in the press. The order, which we wrote about earlier this month, reportedly demands Apple provide UK authorities with access to encrypted user data worldwide, a move that prompted the company to pull its Advanced Data Protection (ADP) feature for new UK users.

Gabbard's letter, sent in response to a February 13 congressional inquiry from Wyden and Biggs, recognizes the serious implications of the UK's alleged order. She expressed "grave concern" about any foreign government mandating backdoors into American companies' systems, calling it a "clear and egregious violation" of U.S. citizens' privacy and a potential cybersecurity risk. The congressional letter had cited recent breaches, like the Salt Typhoon hack of U.S. telecoms and the 2023 Microsoft email compromise, as evidence of the dangers posed by weakened encryption.

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