The UK Home Office has issued a demand for “backdoor” access to encrypted data on Apple devices, it has been reported.

According to the Washington Post, which first ran the story, UK Home Secretary Yvette Cooper issued the order last month to Apple for a capability to access the encrypted data of any user of an Apple device.

Reportedly, the order was issued to help the UK in its efforts to combat online crimes and harms, such as terrorism and child abuse. Law enforcement officials have a longstanding grudge against encryption technologies which allow criminals to hide their data from investigations, though technology companies like Apple and Google typically comply with authorities when issued with warrants for encrypted data.

The Home Office has yet to confirm or deny the allegations: “We do not comment on operational matters, including, for example, confirming or denying the existence of any such notices,” a spokesperson said.

The move to ask for an overriding, all-encompassing “backdoor” to encrypted data on everyday devices is a dramatic shift in the UK’s battle to access the encrypted content – it echos recent debates surrounding the Online Safety Act which proposed a similar stipulation surrounding pre-emptive scanning of encrypted data.

Apple has also yet to formally respond to the alleged request, which consisted of a technical capability notice issued under the UK Investigatory Powers Act of 2016.

The Act typically allows UK law enforcement to gain assistance from companies to collect evidence for an investigation. According to the law, it is illegal to reveal if the Government has made a request for evidence via the Act.

The Act also stipulates that Apple can appeal the ruling in a secret panel, but cannot delay its compliance during the appeals process.

Back in March, Apple said it was informed that it may be issued a notice from the Home Office, telling Parliament: “There is no reason why the UK [Government] should have the authority to decide for citizens of the world whether they can avail themselves of the proven security benefits that flow from end-to-end encryption,” as reported by The Telegraph.

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Similarly, last year the UK government issued new surveillance laws that would require all tech companies to issue notices and even get permission from the Home Office before launching new security features to their devices worldwide.

On the other side of the argument, of course, is the criminals and heinous crimes that often go under the radar partially due to end-to-end encryption.

The National Crime Agency has come down hard on encryption, warning that Facebook’s move last year to introduce end-to-end encryption would allow increasing instances of child abuse and crime to go rampant and reduce the efficacy of intervention efforts.

If the order from the Home Office is upheld, and Apple complies fully, it may be legally compelled to not tell its user base that their messages are no longer fully protected by end-to-end encryption.