Security!

Security!

With all the hubbub going on in the internet security world, it is a good thing to review your security setup for your various online accounts. In particular, iCloud and Gmail have some features that you need to enable in order to use. They will save you a lot of headaches down the road, and protect your account from getting hacked.

The most important one of these security features is called 'two step verification'. You can turn it on under your Google account security settings, or for iCloud, login to www.appleid.com and go to security settings. This feature sends a text to your phone with a code each time you need to login to your settings or add the account to a device, to verify that it is actually you editing your secure information. Even if someone steals your login, this makes it so that they have to have your phone as well in order to change any sensitive information or login to the account at all.

Recently, there have been reports of devices being 'held hostage' by someone logging in and locking the user out of their own device by using the 'find my iphone' feature within iCloud. The criminals were able to do this, because they got the user name and login, and used it remotely. If the individual had two step verification enabled on their account, this would have been impossible. Two Step Verification is a simple thing, but the most physical way you can easily protect your information. If you need help setting this up, and any other security advice, just give me a call, I would be glad to help!

- Hans