The UK government has quietly removed encryption advice from its official web pages, just weeks after pushing Apple to provide backdoor access to encrypted iCloud data.

Cybersecurity expert Alec Muffett first noticed the change, revealing that the National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) no longer recommends high-risk individuals use encryption to protect sensitive information.

Previously, the NCSC had published a document advising legal professionals to use encryption tools like Apple’s Advanced Data Protection (ADP), which allows users to enable end-to-end encryption for their iCloud backups. This feature makes it impossible for anyone, including Apple and government authorities, to access stored data. However, the document has now been removed, and the original link redirects to a new page that makes no mention of encryption. Instead, it suggests using Apple’s Lockdown Mode, a security feature that restricts certain device functions to reduce cyber threats.


Muffett noted that the deleted document is still accessible via the Wayback Machine, but no encryption advice is currently available on the UK government’s website. When contacted for comment, the NCSC and the UK Home Office remained silent.

This move comes shortly after reports surfaced that the UK government had secretly ordered Apple to create a backdoor for encrypted iCloud data. Following the order, Apple withdrew ADP from the UK, confirming that new users would not be able to access the feature while existing users would eventually have to disable it. The company is now challenging the government’s demand in the Investigatory Powers Tribunal (IPT), a legal battle that could have significant implications for digital privacy in the UK and beyond.

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