APPLE IN 2020And people wonder why their Ring security
cameras were broken into (they weren’t ‘hacked’,
customers just used bad passwords or reused
passwords from other accounts).
By now you’ve heard it a hundred times: it’s
extremely important to use a different password for
every site and service, and for those passwords to be
complex and hard to guess.
The best way to make that happen is to use a good
password manager. For your most important sites and
services, you should also use two-factor authentication
(2FA). That means popular social media accounts, banks,
email, and large ‘ecosystem’ accounts such as your
Microsoft, Amazon, or Google accounts.
Fortunately, iOS has a good built-in password
manager that even warns you about re-using passwords.
If you want to use a third-party password manager (a
great idea if you use non-Mac computers, browsers
other than Safari, or share passwords with family
members for things like your Netflix account), iOS will
offer up login info from them for sites and apps. The
best password managers even let you fill in your login
and password with Touch ID or Face ID, so it’s both
secure and easy.
Don’t know where to start? We suggest either
1Password (fave.co/35Frlxu) or LastPass (fave.
co/36AVkb0) for password managers, and Authy
(fave.co/39K7QXL) is a great app for generating codes
for two-factor authentication. Using an authentication
app like Authy is more secure than relying on SMS
messages for 2FA. At the very least, you should set up
2FA for your Apple ID.APPLE IN 2020
AndpeoplewonderwhytheirRingsecurity
cameraswerebrokeninto(theyweren’t‘hacked’,
customersjustusedbadpasswordsorreused
passwordsfromotheraccounts).
Bynowyou’vehearditahundredtimes:it’s
extremelyimportanttouseadifferentpasswordfor
everysiteandservice,andforthosepasswordstobe
complexandhardtoguess.
Thebestwaytomakethathappenistouseagood
passwordmanager.Foryourmostimportantsitesand
services,youshouldalsousetwo-factorauthentication
(2FA).Thatmeanspopularsocialmediaaccounts,banks,
email,andlarge‘ecosystem’accountssuchasyour
Microsoft,Amazon,orGoogleaccounts.
Fortunately,iOShasagoodbuilt-inpassword
managerthatevenwarnsyouaboutre-usingpasswords.
Ifyouwanttouseathird-partypasswordmanager(a
greatideaifyouusenon-Maccomputers,browsers
otherthanSafari,orsharepasswordswithfamily
membersforthingslikeyourNetflixaccount),iOSwill
offeruplogininfofromthemforsitesandapps.The
bestpasswordmanagersevenletyoufillinyourlogin
andpasswordwithTouchIDorFaceID,soit’sboth
secureandeasy.
Don’tknowwheretostart?Wesuggesteither
1Password(fave.co/35Frlxu)orLastPass(fave.
co/36AVkb0)forpasswordmanagers,andAuthy
(fave.co/39K7QXL)isagreatappforgeneratingcodes
fortwo-factorauthentication.Usinganauthentication
applikeAuthyismoresecurethanrelyingonSMS
messagesfor2FA.Attheveryleast,youshouldsetup
2FAforyourAppleID.