Apple reportedly challenges the UK’s secretive encryption crackdown

Apple is pushing back against the UK’s secret order to give the government access to encrypted iCloud files. The company has filed an appeal with the Investigatory Powers Tribunal, which deals with complaints about the “unlawful intrusion” of UK intelligence services and authorities, according to a report from the Financial Times.

As noted by FT, the tribunal will “consider whether the UK’s notice to Apple was lawful and, if not, could order it to be quashed.” The tribunal could reportedly hear the case as soon as this month. Apple stopped offering Advanced Data Protection in the UK in response to the secret order, and now it looks like the company is attempting to put a stop to it altogether. Apple didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment.

In January, the UK government issued the order under the Investigatory Powers Act of 2016, according to a report from The Washington Post. It specifically targets iCloud’s Advanced Data Protection option that uses end-to-end encryption to secure backups, preventing third parties – including Apple itself – from accessing them. The UK government is still not “confirming or denying” the existence of the order, which could affect Apple users globally.