Apple revealed final 12 months that it was including new security measures to its gadgets and on-line accounts. The final replace for iPhone, iPad, and Mac added encrypted iCloud backups, and now iOS 16.3 and macOS Ventura 13.2 have arrived with one other characteristic.
Apple is rolling out iOS 16.3 proper now for iPhones and macOS Ventura 13.2 for Mac, and a corresponding improve for iPad is predicted shortly. The principle new characteristic is assist for safety keys with Apple ID, which was introduced again in December. Now, as a substitute of simply utilizing different Apple gadgets or SMS as two-factor authentication strategies, you’ll be able to optionally use a {hardware} safety key. You possibly can even set the important thing to be required for logging into a brand new gadget, as an additional strict layer of safety.
Apple mentioned again in December, “This characteristic is designed for customers who, usually as a consequence of their public profile, face concerted threats to their on-line accounts, resembling celebrities, journalists, and members of presidency. For customers who decide in, Safety Keys strengthens Apple’s two-factor authentication by requiring a {hardware} safety key as one of many two elements. This takes our two-factor authentication even additional, stopping even a complicated attacker from acquiring a person’s second consider a phishing rip-off.”
{Hardware} safety key assist has been accessible with accounts at Google, Microsoft, GitHub, and different widespread providers for years. It’s nice to see Apple lastly get onboard, although the corporate expects most individuals to proceed utilizing different Apple gadgets for login confirmations. The iOS 16.3 replace additionally contains assist for the brand new HomePod, a wallpaper commemorating Black Historical past Month, and a number of other bug fixes.
Supply: The Verge, MacRumors
