Apple Device Analytics Contain Identifying iCloud User Data, Claim Security Researchers

According to a new analysis, Apple's device analytics contain information that can directly link information about how a device is used, its performance, features, and more to a specific user.

According to security researchers Tommy Mysk and Talal Haj Bakry, Apple's device analytics data includes an ID called "ds id." The analysis found that the ds id is unique to every account and can be linked to a specific user, including their name, birthdate, email, and associated information.

🚨 New Findings:🧵 1/6

Apple’s analytics data include an ID called “dsId”. We were able to verify that “dsId” is the “Directory Services Identifier”, an ID that uniquely identifies an iCloud account. Meaning, Apple’s analytics can personally identify you 👇 pic.twitter.com/3DSUFwX3nV — Mysk 🇨🇦🇩🇪 (@mysk_co) November 21, 2022

No information collected from a device for analytics purposes is traced back to a specific user. The company claims that there is no collection of personal information.

Apple says that if a user agrees to send data from multiple devices to the same account, it may "correlate some usage data about Apple apps across those devices." The user is unidentifiable to Apple. We contacted Apple for comment.

Privacy is a "fundamental human right" according to Apple, which has taken a hard stance on it. In recent months, Apple's privacy claims have come under increased scrutiny, with the company now facing a class action lawsuit accusing it of tracking users without their consent.