Apple Makes New iOS and iCloud Accounts Hard to Hack with a New Physical Login Technology.
Syed Imran Haider 
Apple has brought a new, more secure way to protect your Apple ID with hardware security keys. It is a physical login technology that will also provide maximum protection to iCloud accounts from hackers and identity thieves. Locking your online accounts is super easy with hardware security keys. They can come in handy in wiping out weak passwords alongside passkeys.
Hardware Security PasskeysÂ
These small tangible gadgets connect with Lighting ports or NFC wireless data connections when you want to log into an account or on a device. Hardware security keys may also communicate with a USB in case other options are unavailable. You must possess the keys to thwart hackers trying to reach your account. Since the passkeys do not work on fake login platforms, hackers can make phishing attacks to fool you into typing your password on a counterfeit site.
Apple unveiled the primary key pass support for safe login with MacOS 13.2 and iOS 16.3 earlier this week. It also published data on how to use security keys with Macs, iPads, and iPhones. According to the details, Apple users must have set up no less than two passkeys.
Earlier, Microsoft, Twitter, Google, Meta, and other tech companies initiated the concept of hardware security key support. Apple seemingly has walked in the footsteps of the abovesaid tech companies. The CISA also has acclaimed the security keys, calling it the gold standard of multifactor verification.
Apple has always thought of its users’ security and privacy. Recently, it has worked even more to fix any security flaws to tighten it, followed by iPhone security breaches by Pegasus spyware of NSO Group. It launched Advanced Data Protection in December 2022 to offer much stronger encryption to iCloud stored-and-synced data. Earlier, the company had introduced an iPhone Lockdown Mode with new handrails on how your devices work to prevent external attacks.
A Big Caveat
While the Advanced Data Protection tool can be an excellent option to lock your devices better, it comes with a big caveat. Apple says it cannot help recover the access if you got locked out of the account.
The company designed the security feature for users who face concerted threats to their online accounts because of their public profiles. These accounts may be of journalists, government persons, and celebrities. According to Apple, it requires an even further two-factor authentication to prevent an advanced hacker from stealing a user’s second factor through a phishing scam.
Tightened Login SecurityÂ
Login technology plays a vital role in authentication procedures industrywide. Countless data breaches confirmed the vulnerability of traditional passwords and showed how hackers thwart two-factor authentication tools like security codes.
Hardware security keys and passkeys will bring peace of mind even when hackers try to gain access to your LastPass – password manager files. While the idea of hardware security keys is not new, it has standardized and integrated its use with apps and websites with the Fast Identity Online or FIDO.
Apple users need to choose the right hardware security keys for their devices and set up two keys. You can also have more keys in case you lose any of them. Choosing keys that support NFC and USB-C is a better idea as they can connect with newer models of iPhones and Macs.
Andrew Shikiar, the Executive Director of FIDO Alliance, said during a speech on Wednesday that security keys and passkeys are complementary. They are significant improvements over passwords or the combination of passwords and login codes retrieved from a text message or authenticator app. People need to fundamentally shift how they verify from something inherently knowledge-based to something they know.
