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Apple pulls data protection tool after UK government security row

bbc.com

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Re: Apple pulls data protection tool after UK government security row

#371

Post by bargainbin »

philsnow wrote: post #61
ziddoap wrote: post #37

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The choice was either eliminate it now (globally, via introduction of a backdoor) or eliminate it in the UK (but keep it globally). So, perhaps this is a bit of a dangerous precedent, but it was the least-bad option.

That’s a false dichotomy. Another choice, however unpalatable to all parties, would have been for Apple to stop doing business in the UK.

I’m full in on Apple and hoped they nuked iCloud in the UK for this rather than compromise the product.

This is still better than a back door but it sets an awful precedent.

Re: Apple pulls data protection tool after UK government security row

#372

Post by r00fus »

perdomon wrote: post #258

Can someone explain what's changed in the UK that they would consider requesting unfettered access to all Apple customer data (including outside their own borders)? I get that the NSA is infamous for warrant-less surveillance, but this seems a step further.

This is part and parcel of the collapse of western capitalism (aka American empire). You get two main choices when capitalism fails - fascism or communism/socialism. It's clear that the UK has chosen fascism (either liberals like Labor or extreme right like Reform).

Re: Apple pulls data protection tool after UK government security row

#373

Post by spacedcowboy »

varispeed wrote: post #298
snowwrestler wrote: post #285

Earlier quoted context omitted.

As far as I know you can still opt to backup your entire iPhone to a local computer instead of iCloud. You can also manually transfer photos to the computer. Or you can enable a different app (Google Photos or Dropbox for example) to store copies of every picture you take, and then turn off iCloud Photos. Note that neither Google nor Dropbox are E2E encrypted either though.

What would you recommend as a DIY method? I have a NAS that is accessible through VPN. But I don't trust its encryption, thought it is in my controlled location.

Doing it locally doesn't really help. The RIP bill can force you to disclose your own encryption keys to the UK government, and if you "forgot them" you can be put in jail as if you were convicted of whatever they're accusing you of.

That's why cloud backup was useful.

[edit: actually I mis-remembered this, it's "only" 2 years (or 5 if it's national-security-related) that they'll jail you for. "Only" carrying a lot of water there...]

Re: Apple pulls data protection tool after UK government security row

#374

Post by nomilk »

Wonder what the cost/benefit looks like from Apple's perspective.

If this requirement increases the proportion of data on Apple's servers that is now unencrypted (or encrypted but which can be trivially unencrypted), that could be a huge plus to Apple; more data to use for ad targeting (or to sell to third parties), and more data to train AI models on.

Re: Apple pulls data protection tool after UK government security row

#377

Post by bloqs »

jahewson wrote: post #322
throwaway77385 wrote: post #206

The nightmare continues. For now I am using 3rd party backup services that are (currently) promising me that my backups are encrypted by a key they do not have access to, or control over. But can this even be believed in an age where these secret notices are being served to any number of companies? I suppose the next step would be to ensure that files don't ever arrive in the cloud unencrypted, but I have yet to see…

In the case of the U.K., they can throw you in jail for not handing over your encryption key, so it’s a moot point. They’ve been slowly expanding this power for twenty years now.

Not for content in the cloud, as far as I understand. Someone will correct me, but you can be arrested and threatened with terror charges if you dont unlock your device, but this does not give them permission to access other computers via the internet.

Re: Apple pulls data protection tool after UK government security row

#378

Post by shaky-carrousel »

noescgchq wrote: post #290
kouru225 wrote: post #267

I’m at the point where I’m ready to get a pixel and install graphene

Right but then you are jailed at Heathrow for not unlocking your phone. The UK has made it clear that Counter Terrorism legislation has no limits in UK law even if that means compromising all systems and leaving them vulnerable to state actor attacks. MPs will continue to use encrypted messaging systems that disappear messages during any inquiries of course.

You can provide a self destroy PIN with GrapheneOS.

Re: Apple pulls data protection tool after UK government security row

#379

Post by dingdingdang »

pplante wrote: post #138
sameermanek wrote: post #121

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Feels like marvel was onto something with captain america and winter soldier.

Life is imitating too many dystopian books, movies, etc these days. I think we need to put an end to all creative works before the timeline becomes irrecoverably destroyed.

The /s is strong with this one.

Re: Apple pulls data protection tool after UK government security row

#380

Post by kingkongjaffa »

ljm wrote: post #358

Fundamentally, I think the issue is more about technical literacy amongst the political establishment who consistently rely on the fallacy that having nothing to hide means you have nothing to fear. Especially in the UK which operates as a paternalistic state and enjoys authoritarian support across all parties. On the authoritarianism: these laws are always worded in such a way that they can be applied or targeted va…

> Especially in the UK which operates as a paternalistic state and enjoys authoritarian support across all parties.

This seemed strange to point out. It’s not really any more or less “paternalistic” than most western nations including the US.

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