UK Authorities Quietly Revamped Cybersecurity Guidelines Amid Escalating Clash with Apple

Weeks after sparking controversy by demanding Apple grant access to encrypted iCloud data, UK authorities quietly revised official cybersecurity guidelines, removing references to encryption’s critical role in safeguarding information. Experts view this as a move to expand government oversight of digital spaces.

As uncovered by researcher Alec Muffett, the National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) deleted advice from its legal guidance that urged professionals to adopt tools like Apple’s Advanced Data Protection (ADP). A document published in October 2023 had previously emphasized ADP — which enables end-to-end encryption for iCloud — as a vital method for securing sensitive data. The link now redirects to an updated page promoting Lockdown Mode, a restrictive "extreme" security feature that limits device functionality. The original text has vanished from official channels, surviving only in the Internet Archive’s Wayback Machine.

This revision coincided with the UK Home Office pressuring Apple to create a backdoor for accessing encrypted iCloud backups. In response, Apple halted ADP support for new users in the UK and will prompt current users to disable the feature. According to the Financial Times, Apple is challenging the government’s order in the Investigatory Powers Tribunal, asserting users’ right to privacy.

Analysts suggest the NCSC’s guideline purge aims to avoid hypocrisy: by pushing Lockdown Mode, officials tacitly admit that ADP—which blocks their data access — no longer aligns with their agenda. The shift leaves lawyers and professionals handling sensitive information in a bind: follow outdated advice or seek alternative protections. As Apple fights in court, the debate over balancing security and privacy in the UK grows increasingly polarized, drawing criticism from civil liberties groups and tech experts alike.