UK Court Challenges Secrecy Over Apple iCloud Backdoor Order

London's Investigatory Powers Tribunal is weighing whether the Home Office can keep refusing to confirm a surveillance order against Apple that is already public. Apple disabled Advanced Data Protection in the UK rather than build an encryption backdoor.

• The iCloud technical capability notice was served on Apple in January 2025
• Apple disabled Advanced Data Protection in the UK instead of complying
• Lawyers called the secrecy "farcical" at a September 17 hearing
• A narrower second notice followed in October 2025