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The point is that with this technology, Apple can now please both the government and Apple users that want their data in the cloud to be fully encrypted. First
by spuz 5y ago
The point is that with this technology, Apple can now please both the government and Apple users that want their data in the cloud to be fully encrypted.
First they enable this technology to prove to the government that they can still scan for bad stuff, then they enable true E2E. I don't know if this is really their motivation but it sounds plausible to me.
- glogla 5y agoIf they scan on device unencrypted and report what they found (even if it's child porn now, we know that is not going to last), they made the e2e effectivelly useless. The point of end to end enceyption is to make the data accessible to just one or two people - and that is not fulfilled here. EDIT: though you are right - they can please governments by making encryption useless while lying to people they still have it. Not sure that was your message though.
- spuz 5y agoThe difference between Apple being able to scan data on your phone vs on their servers comes down to who is able to access your data. In both cases, Apple has access. But by storing both your data and your keys somewhere in their cloud servers, that data becomes available to governments with the appropriate subpoena, rogue Apple employees and hackers. None of that would be possible with true E2E encryption. It seems plausible to me that Apple might believe some of their privacy conscious users would prefer this situation and hence "privacy" can be considered a plausible explanation for their actions here.
- pseudalopex 5y agoTrue E2E means the middle can't decrypt anything. You meant false E2E.
- spuz 5y agoNo, I meant true E2E encryption. Unless I'm missing something in your comment.
- pseudalopex 5y agoApple's system allows the middle to decrypt certain images or "visual derivatives" at least. True E2E doesn't.
- spuz 5y agoI'm suggesting that the client-side CSAM scanning technology could allow Apple to turn on true E2E encryption and still satisfy the government's requirement to report on CSAM which as you point out is not something that Apple currently implements.
- pseudalopex 5y agoThe "client side" CSAM detection involves a literal person in the middle examining suspected matches. The combination of that and whatever you think true E2E means isn't E2E by definition.