infosec

tl;dr If you use iOS, turn on Advanced Data Protection right now. Mass adoption is a consistent and reliable path to making a technology—in this case, end-to-end encrypted iCloud—mandatory. 

Settings -> Apple Account -> iCloud -> Advanced Data Protection -> Turn On

The onus is still on Apple to make encrypted iCloud the default instead of opt-in 🫠
https://blog.cryptographyengineering.com/2025/02/12/u-k-asks-to-backdoor-icloud-backup-encryption/

If you have “Messages in iCloud” enabled, then messages are stored in iCloud separately (E2EE) and not included as part of the iCloud backup. 

But if you both a) don’t have Messages in iCloud enabled and b) don’t have Advanced Data Protection turned on, then RIP

New public statement from Apple (sent to me privately):

“As of Friday, February 21, Apple can no longer offer Advanced Data Protection as a feature to new users in the UK.”

Matthew Green is on BlueSky

If you have “Messages in iCloud” enabled, then messages are stored in iCloud separately (E2EE) and not included as part of the iCloud backup. 

But if you both a) don’t have Messages in iCloud enabled and b) don’t have Advanced Data Protection turned on, then RIP
https://x.com/matthew_d_green/status/1892954546873180608?s=46&t=dO0uo_CgV6MrB7N3NkVjDA