American politicians angry at UK’s request for Apple coded data

Two US lawmakers have strongly condemned what they call the “dangerous” demand of the UK and “short” to be able to use encrypted data stored by Apple users around the world in service of its cloud.

Senator Ron Wyden and Congressman Andy Biggs have written For the National Director of Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard saying the request threatens US intimacy and security.

They ask her to give the United Kingdom an ultimatum: “Back from this dangerous attack on the US Internet security, or to face serious consequences.”

The BBC has contacted the UK government for comment.

“While the United Kingdom has been a reliable ally, the US government should not allow what is effectively a foreign internet attack developed through political tools,” writes American politicians.

If the United Kingdom does not remove Mrs. Gabbard should “re-evaluate the US-UK web security and security programs, as well as sharing American intelligence,” they suggest.

Request For data appeared last week.

It applies to all the content stored using what Apple calls “advanced data protection” (ADP).

This uses encryption from bottom to bottom, where only the account holder can access the stored data. Apple himself cannot see it.

It is an opt service, and not all users choose to activate it.

Request was first reported by The Washington PostCiting sources familiar with the issue, and the BBC has spoken of similar contacts.

The Interior Office then said: “We do not comment on operational issues, including for example confirmation or denial of the existence of any such notice.”

Apple refused to comment, But says on its website that he sees intimacy as a “fundamental human right”.

The order is served by the internal office under the Law on Investigation Powers, which obliges firms to provide information to law enforcement agencies.

By law, the request from the domestic office cannot be made public.

Senator Wyden and Congressman Biggs say agreeing on the request will “undermine the rights of Americans’ intimacy and expose them to espionage from China, Russia and other opponents”.

They state that Apple does not make different versions of his encryption software for each country where he operates and, therefore, Apple customers in the UK will use the same software as Americans.

“If Apple is forced to build a background on its products, that background will end up on American phones, tablets and computers, undermining the security of American data, as well as countless federal, state and government agencies local that reliable data sensitive to Apple products. “

The mass from the UK government has surprised experts and disturbed intimacy campaigns, with International intimacy, calling it an “unprecedented attack” on individual data.

However, the US government has previously asked Apple to break its encryption as part of criminal investigation.

In 2016, Apple resisted a court order to write software Which would allow us US officials to enter the iPhone of an armed person – though this was resolved after the FBI were able to successfully enter the device.

The same year, US fell a similar case As she was able to gain access by discovering the code of passing a claimed drug dealer.

Similar cases have followed, including in 2020, when Apple refused to unlock iPhone of a man who carried out a massive shot on an American air base. The FBI later said he had been able to “gain access” to the phones.

It is understood that the UK government does not want to start combing through everyone’s data.

On the contrary, he would like to approach if there was a risk to national security – in other words, it would be targeted by an individual, rather than using it for mass supervision.

Authorities will have to pursue a legal process, have a good reason, and require permission for a specific account to access the data – just like those now with unsalid data.

Apple has previously said that it will withdraw the encryption services as ADP from the UK market rather than complying with such government demands – telling Parliament that “would never build a back door” in products of him.

Whatsapp, owned by meta, also has said before Would choose to be blocked to weaken the security of messages.

But even the withdrawal of the product from the UK may not be enough to ensure compliance – the act of investigating powers is implemented worldwide to every technology firm with a UK market, even if they are not centered on Britain.