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Apple Confirms Some Encrypted iCloud User Data is Stored on Google Cloud Platform

Monday February 26, 2018 5:55 am PST by Joe Rossignol
Apple has confirmed that Google Cloud Platform is one of at least two third-party services it relies upon for storing encrypted iCloud account data, which it notes doesn't include any user-identifying information.


Apple made the disclosure in the latest version of its iOS Security Guide, which was updated last month. This particular change went unnoticed until it was reported by CNBC's Jordan Novet earlier today.
The encrypted chunks of the file are stored, without any user-identifying information, using third-party storage services, such as S3 and Google Cloud Platform.
Previous versions of the iOS Security Guide mentioned Microsoft Azure, but Google Cloud Platform is now listed in its place. Apple also continues to rely on Amazon's S3 web service for additional storage.

iCloud stores a user's contacts, calendars, photos, documents, and more, and since each file is broken into chunks and encrypted with AES-128 and SHA-256 keys, storage on Google Cloud Platform shouldn't be a security concern.

Apple reached a multi-million dollar deal with Google Cloud Platform in 2016, according to reports from CRN and the Financial Times.

Tag: Google Cloud Platform
[ 134 comments ]


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pika2000
15 months ago

As long as Google can't freely run some machine learning analysis of our data, I'm fine. Apple is still building their new data center.

It's encrypted. All Google can do is see garbage data.
[doublepost=1519657708][/doublepost]

Samsung manufacturing screens, iCloud stored in Google Services, camera sensors from Sony... what’s next, Microsoft Stores selling iPhone? Jobs we miss you.

Huh?
Apple never "makes" their own components in the literal sense.
Why should Apple make screens? Let the expert (eg. Samsung) do it, so Apple can focus on other things (like fixing iOS).
And how does this relate to Jobs?
Rating: 36 Votes
Avatar
Xavier
15 months ago
This just in: Cloud storage isn't actually stored in the sky.
Rating: 31 Votes
Avatar
Toutou
15 months ago

Samsung manufacturing screens, iCloud stored in Google Services, camera sensors from Sony... what’s next, Microsoft Stores selling iPhone? Jobs we miss you.


Wtf man? Do you have the slightest idea how complicated and specialized these things are?
Apple doesn't make IPS panels and never has.
Apple doesn't specialize in data storage and never has.
Apple doesn't make camera sensors and never has.
Rating: 29 Votes
Avatar
AngerDanger
15 months ago


No, I am your server!

That's not true! That's impossible!

Search your caches. You know it to be true.

NOOOOOOOOOOOO!
Rating: 28 Votes
Avatar
DaveOP
15 months ago

Samsung manufacturing screens, iCloud stored in Google Services, camera sensors from Sony... what’s next, Microsoft Stores selling iPhone? Jobs we miss you.


You miss MobileMe? Did the iPhones that Steve pioneered not have Sony sensors? Didn't the Macbook Pro from his time have Samsung/LG screens?
Rating: 17 Votes
Avatar
RedGala
15 months ago
As long as Google can't freely run some machine learning analysis of our data, I'm fine. Apple is still building their new data center.
Rating: 13 Votes
Avatar
Mac-lover3
15 months ago
So this doesn't change anything?
Rating: 13 Votes
Avatar
rpe33
15 months ago
Dogs and cats living together, MASS HYSTERIA!
Rating: 10 Votes
Avatar
obitow
15 months ago

So this doesn't change anything?

Nope
Rating: 9 Votes
Avatar
firewire9000
15 months ago
Samsung manufacturing screens, iCloud stored in Google Services, camera sensors from Sony... what’s next, Microsoft Stores selling iPhone? Jobs we miss you.
Rating: 7 Votes

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