The security of your Apple ID is of paramount importance to your safety online. Not only does it act as your access key to your Apple calendar, mailbox and iCloud account, but it’s also linked to your music downloads, video streaming subscriptions and other apps. As such, keeping it secure from the unwanted attentions of cyber attackers should be a top priority.
While the worldwide web might seem like a dangerous place at times – and it certainly can be, too – the good news is that it doesn’t take a huge amount of effort to protect your Apple ID from hackers and crooks. Follow the tips below and you’ll give your cyber defences a huge boost, preventing you from becoming easy prey and discouraging any attempts to steal your identity.
Choose a strong password
As the first (and main) line of defence between you and a breach, a robust security password is an absolute must for a secure Apple account. For the optimum results, follow best practice guidelines by choosing a string of random letters and numbers (including both uppercase and lowercase characters), since this will be virtually unguessable even by those who know you best. Never replicate your password across multiple sites, either, even if it is tempting to do so.
Activate 2FA
For those unfamiliar with two-factor authentication (or 2FA for short), it simply involves verifying your identity via an additional method as well as your password. For example, Apple may send a passcode to your iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch or other smart-enabled device and ask you to input this at the log-in stage. 2FA causes minimal disruption to your daily routine, but greatly enhances the security surrounding your account.
Sign out of old devices
As your Apple empire grows, you might find yourself accruing more devices than you know what to do with. Selling them, gifting them or donating them to charity are the optimum options, but you must ensure that you sign out of your Apple account on them and wipe them clean before doing so. You can check which devices you’re still signed into by accessing the ‘Devices’ section of the Apple ID website. You can also remove any you no longer use here, too.
Use a VPN
Have you come across the term VPN before? Short for virtual private networks, this handy piece of technology cloaks your device’s IP address when logging on to the internet, thus protecting it from shady operators. To keep your Apple device as safe as possible, it’s advisable to download a VPN like Surfshark for Mac, which will automatically encrypt all data sent across it and prevent your sensitive info from falling into the wrong hands.
Practice sensible security
Although VPNs are great for masking your IP address and encrypting your data, they can’t protect you from phishing attacks, unwanted phone calls and the suchlike. This, instead, will fall to you; you must keep yourself safe from those kinds of subversive hacking techniques by staying vigilant at all times. This means restricting the individuals and organisations to whom you give your contact info, reporting suspicious emails and never clicking on dodgy links.
Don’t be one of the millions of people whose online identities are compromised every year. Follow these rules and your Apple account will stay safe from unscrupulous hackers.
Also Read: Guide to improving MacBook security