Apple expands iCloud security with powerful new Advanced -data protection

Apple is finally adding advanced-data protection also known as end-to-end encryption to iCloud backups, the company has said as part of a major set of security announcements on Wednesday. Under what it calls Advanced Data Protection, the iPhone maker will expand the number of “data categories” protected by end-to-end encryption from 14 to 23, with backups, Notes, and Photos now covered.

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A user will have to turn on the Advanced Data Protection option on their device to activate service on backups, messages backups, iCloud Drive, Notes, Photos, Reminders, Safari bookmarks, Siri Shortcuts, Voice Memos, and Wallet Passes. Apple says the only “major” categories not covered by Advanced-Data Protection are iCloud Mail, Contacts, and Calendar because “of the need to interoperate with the global email, contacts, and calendar systems,” according to its press release.

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You can see the full list of data categories and what is protected under standard data protection, which is the default for your account, and Advanced Data Protection on Apple’s website.

The difference between the new advanced-data protection with standard data protection is that with the latter, Apple holds the encryption keys for things that aren’t end-to-end encrypted, which means the company can help you recover that data if needed. Data that’s end-to-end encrypted can only be encrypted on “your trusted devices where you’re signed in with your Apple ID,” according to Apple, meaning that the company — or law enforcement or hackers — cannot access your data from Apple’s databases.

Users on Apple’s beta program in the US will be able to enable Advanced Data Protection beginning Wednesday, Apple says. It will be available broadly to US users by the end of the year and will begin rolling out globally — including in China, according to The Wall Street Journal — in early 2023. Alongside the news of end-to-end iCloud backups, Apple confirmed that it has dropped its controversial plans for scanning child sexual abuse imagery.

Apple is also improving its two-factor authentication support by letting users secure their accounts with hardware keys starting early next year. Hardware keys, like YubiKeys, have become increasingly popular tools to provide an extra layer of security for your online accounts, and soon, you’ll be able to use a key with your iCloud account as well.

Apple is also improving iMessage security with iMessage Contact Key Verification, which the company says can alert you if state-sponsored bad actors are snooping on your chats.