EFF Wants Apple to Let Users Encrypt Their iCloud backups

The EFF called on Apple to let users encrypt their iCloud backups. The demand was part of its new Fix It Already campaign, launched Thursday.

Backups Currently ‘Vulenerable’

The digital rights group said it is good that data on an Apple device is encrypted so that nobody else can access it. However, it criticised that Apple can get access encrypted data backed up to iCloud. It said that “this makes those backups vulnerable to government requests, third-party hacking, and disclosure by Apple employees.”

The EFF said that users should be able to protect themselves with “truly encrypted iCloud backups.” It noted that Apple CEO Tim Cook had indicated his support for such a move in his recent interview with German newspaper Der Spiegel.

Other Campaign Demands

The Fix It Already campaign had 8 other demands:

  • Android should let users deny and revoke apps’ Internet permissions.
  • Facebook should leave your phone number where you put it.
  • Slack should give free workspace administrators control over data retention.
  • Twitter should end-to-end encrypt direct messages.
  • Venmo should let users hide their friends lists.
  • Verizon should stop pre-installing spyware on its users’ phones.
  • WhatsApp should get your consent before you’re added to a group.
  • Windows 10 should let users keep their disk encryption keys to themselves.

The EFF argued that the relevant technology to do these things is available, “and companies are running out of excuses to neglect security and privacy best practices.”

3 thoughts on “EFF Wants Apple to Let Users Encrypt Their iCloud backups

  • There are three major reasons I resist Apple upgrades and in particular iOS upgrades, this is #2 on my list and most important. Apple pushes incredibly hard to offload my personal and private data onto their Cloud services. As much as I can I avoid cloud services on all devices because how many times do you hear of people being hacked, too much for my comfort. I’m almost ready to ditch smart phones and go back to an old flip phone because of this kind of crap! I certainly won’t buy an new iPhone any time soon if ever again. It’s just not worth the security breaches. AND NEVER have a Social Media APP EVER!

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