A recent incident involving the FBI and an iPhone is a good reminder to change your passwords, including your iCloud password, regularly.
In an effort to break into the iPhone of one of the assailants involved in the December attacks in San Bernadino, California, the FBI changed the person’s iCloud password, thinking that would give them access to the phone’s data. Instead, it locked them out and made other means of getting in impossible, according to the New York Times.
According to Apple, your Apple ID protects information stored in your iCloud account, which could include your email, photos and even your health information, keeping it safe from hackers. To make it harder for someone to discover your password, you should change it now and then. The National Cyber Security Alliance suggests changing your passwords every 60 days if possible.
Your password also protects your ability to find or remotely erase your phone, tablet or laptop using Find My iPhone.
Follow these tips to keep your iCloud password safe, according to Apple:
- If you set up the iCloud across multiple devices , set up a passcode lock on your device for added security.
- Use a password manager to organize passwords and generate random ones that are all but impossible to guess.
- Use passwords that are at least 8 characters long , with a mix of characters and numbers and uppercase and lowercase letters.
- Set up two-step verification. This will require you to verify your identity using one of your devices before you can make changes to your Apple ID account.
- Avoid using your Apple ID password with other sites. Use different passwords for other online accounts