On Tuesday, Apple released iOS 16.2, a new version of the software that runs your iPhone and iPad. One of the biggest features of the update is a little switch that makes the data you back up to iCloud much more secure.
The new feature, which Apple calls Advanced Data Protection, adds end-to-end encryption for the backups of your Apple devices stored in iCloud. This means that only you you can access the data contained in those backups. If a hacker breaches Apple’s servers, for example, he can’t get your stuff. If a law enforcement agency demands that Apple hand over your backup data, Apple can’t give it to them because even Apple can’t see anything in your backups. Advanced Data Protection is currently available in the US and Apple users around the world will get it sometime in 2023.
The privacy community is applause. The FBI, which previously demanded personal data from Apple, is Annoying.
Even if you’re not a privacy expert or completely paranoid, you should turn on Advanced Data Protection, just because encrypting your personal data is good security hygiene.
In theory, doing this is as simple as flipping a switch in your iPhone or iPad settings. In practice, you have to do a few things before that.
First, you must update all your Apple devices, not just your iPhone or iPad, to the latest version of their operating systems.
I’m a nerd so I tried turning this feature on immediately after updating my iPhone to iOS 16.2 and this is what I got. wanted me to update everything first. So do that.
