It added: "Moreover, any attempt by the [secretary of state] to use its extraterritorial powers to compel technology companies to weaken encryption technology will only strengthen the hands of malicious actors who seek to steal and exploit personal data for nefarious purposes.".
Apple has reportedly been ordered by the UK government to allow it access to encrypted data stored by the company's users worldwide in its cloud service.
A spokesperson for privacy and civil liberty campaign group Big Brother Watch said: "We urge the UK government to immediately rescind this draconian order and cease attempts to employ mass surveillance in lieu of the targeted powers already at their disposal.
The American company also said that an order to force decryption would "undermine fundamentally human rights" and potentially put the UK at odds with the European Court of Human Rights.
"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," Apple said.
