Apple has released a new feature advanced encryption in iCloud. You may have heard of it and yet you still don’t know what this feature is, if it’s free, it’s added without further ado or you have to configure something…etc. Many times Apple releases new features that don’t get enough publicity and that gets them a bit under the radar, but they’re important enough to get a lot more attention. Let’s go.
iCloud’s new Advanced Encryption feature makes some apps and functions that weren’t as secure before, they are now. We must note that there are some flaws, i.e. not all functions have the same level of protection but managed to add old functions, new security methods And it’s always appreciated.
The new feature can be defined as “Advanced Data Protection”. This is advanced because Apple has only encrypted certain types of user data in iCloud, such as passwords and health data. By encrypting the data, only a trusted user device can access this information. However, other information stored in iCloud, such as photos, messages, and device backups, was not completely end-to-end encrypted. This means that if Apple wanted to, it could access your information. With Advanced Data Protection, all that changes.
With this new feature left enabled for a specific iCloud account, the vast majority of data stored in the cloud will be end-to-end encrypted, meaning no one – not Apple, law enforcement or governments – NOBODY can access this information. Only a trusted device can decrypt this information.
Which is on top of that insurmountable encryption that didn’t exist before. Let’s see:
- Device Backup
- Saving messages
- iCloud Drive
- Pictures
- reminders
- safari bookmarks
- Siri Shortcuts
- voice notes
- Wallet
Which is still unencrypted and therefore, if necessary, that the data is easily accessible:
- iCloud Mail
- contacts
- Calendar
It’s done this way because these apps almost always need connect to third-party data sources. For example Google, Gmail…etc. It’s true that I would prefer the Mail to be encrypted before, for example, the Safari bookmarks. I see it as more private, but if they implemented this advanced feature, it would be disastrous on a day-to-day basis. We have to find a balance.
The most important thing you need to know is that this advanced data protection it will not be enabled by default for users. Craig Federighi, senior vice president of software engineering at Apple, explained that this feature requires the user to run it because a recovery method must be enabled. In short, if you want to start the process, then you must keep the password safe to access and recover the data, because if you forget it, you will NOT be able to access the account and that means the data will be encrypted and you cannot export or use it. This decision and responsibility should rest with the user and not with the company, as Federighi explained.
Now, don’t think the authorization process isn’t easy. In fact it is simple. From this month, when all users in the United States have activated it, it will only be enough to activate and follow the steps that they tell us and mark on the screen. So, don’t look for the feature just yet, as it’s not enabled, especially if you don’t live there in the continental United States. We will have to wait until early 2023. Patience.
All that is greater security and data protection, The idea is always welcome. In fact, it looks like the announcement has already gotten a good response from Apple’s user community who see this advanced security feature as a new way to protect their privacy. Privacy which continues to be one of the fundamental pillars on which Apple relies and which will continue to implement this type of function.
I think the company should give it a bit more publicity, and with that we would make a lot of people aware that what really matters on a mobile device, maybe it’s not the size or the resolution of the screen, between levels that we do not distinguish and yes, on the other hand. , features like this advanced protection in iCloud. At least that’s my opinion, that I prefer to choose privacy and security over functionality and style. In fact, this is one of the main reasons why I have iOS and not Android or another OS. Safety and trust are paramount to me. Looking forward to the day when it can be implemented in Europe. I will install it as soon as possible.
