If you’re using iCloud to back up your data and free up space on your phone, kudos to you — you’re already steps ahead of many iPhone users. Storing docs, photos, and videos in iCloud is one of the best ways you can ensure that information is safe, secure, and protected from hackers who can more readily access your phone. But that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t be taking additional steps to “lock” up your Cloud. This is the iCloud privacy setting you should always have on, according to security experts.
Enable Two-Factor Authentication
When it comes to protecting your information, Sudhir Khatwani, founder of The Money Mongers, says there’s no way around it: you must enable two-factor authentication or 2FA for your iCloud and all your other online accounts. “2FA works as an extra layer of security that prevents unauthorized access,” Khatwani says. “When you enable 2fa, you will be asked for an additional one-time password sent over your phone or email, which you have to enter after entering your username and password. So if someone knows your iCloud login credentials, they will still need an additional one-time password to access your account.”
You can turn on the two-factor authentication setting by following the below steps:
1. Go to iPhone/iPad Setting
2. Tap On your Name > Password & Security.
3. Tap onTwo-Factor Authentication, and from here, enable it for your iCloud.
Create Strong Passwords
Even after you enable two-factor authentication, there are common mistakes you could be making with your passwords, according to Wojciech Syrkiewicz-Trepiak (CISSP; OSCP), Security Engineer at Spacelift. “Honestly, the words common don’t even begin to cover it,” Syrkiewicz-Trepiak says. “From recycling passwords, using simple passwords like your birthdate or, even better – “password1,” sharing passwords or storing them in plain text, to periodically changing and forgetting about them, the list goes on. That’s why generating a password that is long and contains uppercase and lowercase letters, numbers, and special characters is crucial.”
Remove No Longer Used Devices From Trusted Devices
Lastly, remember to remove old devices you no longer use so that they aren’t connected to iCloud. “You never know if the old iPhone you sold on Craigslist is in good hands,” Syrkiewicz-Trepiak says. “Might you not remember whether or not you reset it before selling? A complete stranger could access all your vital information, so run, don’t walk to the Settings, and check what devices are connected to your iCloud. If you don’t recognize any of them, remove them immediately.”
