[modeless]

"For Messages in iCloud, if you have iCloud Backup turned on, your backup includes a copy of the key protecting your messages"

https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT202303

Yes, that really does mean that Apple can decrypt your messages. In fact, Apple does it this way at the explicit request of the FBI, as reported by Reuters. https://www.reuters.com/article/us-apple-fbi-icloud-exclusiv...

And look at all the other potentially sensitive data that is not end-to-end encrypted in the backups. Photos, notes, reminders, calendars, the list goes on.

[alwillis]

Yes, that really does mean that Apple can decrypt your messages.

I don’t think so:

    Apple doesn’t log the contents of
    messages or attachments, which are protected
    by end-to-end encryption so no one but
    the sender and receiver can access them.
    Apple can’t decrypt the data.

    When a user turns on iMessage on a device,
    the device generates encryption and signing
    pairs of keys for use with the service. For
    encryption, there is an encryption RSA
    1280-bit key as well as an encryption EC
    256-bit key on the NIST P-256 curve. For
    signatures, Elliptic Curve Digital Signature
    Algorithm (ECDSA) 256-bit signing keys are
    used. The private keys are saved in the
    device’s keychain and only available after
    first unlock. The public keys are sent to
    Apple Identity Service (IDS), where they are
    associated with the user’s phone number or
    email address, along with the device’s APNs
    address.

From iMessage Security Overview--https://support.apple.com/guide/security/imessage-security-o...

[Tepix]

But you can backup your keychain on iCloud

[alwillis]

But the keychain is one-way encrypted and Apple doesn't have the key to decrypt it.