back to article Apple flops out 2FA for iCloud in bid to stop future nude selfie leaks

Apple has rolled out two-factor authentication to lock down iCloud accounts, a move designed to prevent a repeat of the Celebgate incident when smutty snaps of nude starlets were leaked from the bowels of 4Chan. It is thought that hackers managed to get inside the celebs' iCloud accounts, which were chock-full of rude images. …

  1. Mike Bell

    Apple 'rolled out' 2-factor authentication a long long time ago. My Apple ID has been secured this way for ages.

    More pertinently, and topically, is that Apple are being more reactive now when someone logs in via a device like a Windows PC. They're starting to send e-mail notifications when this happens.

    They've also now introduced a means on your account of devising a clutch of app-specific passwords for third party apps that do not support 2FA. Which, they say, will be "required" come 1 October 2014.

    1. Dan 55 Silver badge

      There was no 2FA for restoring iCloud backups until now so your Apple ID wasn't very secure this way.

      By the way, what happens if you've only got one b0rked trusted device with SMS and it needs restoring from iCloud backup?

      1. Mike Bell

        When you enable 2FA, accept the invitation to print out the nicely formatted recovery key. That's what it's for.

        1. returnmyjedi

          I'm puzzled as to why Apple don't release their own authenticator app, our allow folks to use Google's one. Even Microsoft uses their arch rival's code generator doowhacky on IOS.

    2. JayKay

      Same here...

      Had 2FA enabled on my Apple ID and iCloud for as long as I can remember. Same with Dropbox, Google, Facebook etc.

      IMO it should be mandatory. Simple password/security questions are inherently insecure, for all the reasons we now know from the celebrity hack.

  2. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    Acksherly

    " Few of us who viewed the stolen pics will forget the moment when Jennifer Lawrence popped up."

    I suspect may of us could - but your small weenie experience may differ.

    1. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      Re: Acksherly

      What?

  3. Yet Another Anonymous coward Silver badge

    Erm a little confused

    You take a photo of yourself "au natural" presumably for the benefit of your beau

    You send that to the lady/gentleman/ovine mammal in question.

    Apple uses super ninja infinite factor quantum encryption to secure the image between your phone and its servers.

    It then emails the picture to recipient. Who can then do whatever they want with it ?

  4. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    After the initial excitement of seeing Jennifer Lawrence in the buff...

    I should now go out and rent Hunger Games to see what she looks like dressed up ;)

  5. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    Apple has rolled out two-factor authentication to lock down iCloud accounts, a move designed to prevent a repeat of the Celebgate incident when smutty snaps of nude starlets were leaked from the bowels of 4Chan.

    It is thought that hackers managed to get inside the celebs' iCloud accounts, which were chock-full of rude images. After all, what else are mobile phones for except snapping images of your naughty bits and broadcasting them to world+dog?

    Interestingly, it was reported on El Reg itself (and various other sources) that it wasn't actually iCloud but a mix of sources. Clearly, some people don't read their own news..

    Other than that, a fix for Apple's rather weak SSO setup is welcome - they have MUCH higher standards to live up to now they're entering the payment business.

  6. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    Apple update servers now overloaded

    It's 18:27 UK time, and Apple's update servers have started to become unreachable. I suspect iOS8 has arrived. I just hope it isn't managed by the same guy who managed the Apple keynote broadcast :)

    1. returnmyjedi

      Re: Apple update servers now overloaded

      It's 18.32 and I've just got off the phone with my mum who wants to know how she's going to squeeze 4.6GBs of update onto her 8GB iPhone 5C. She's currently ordering the micro SD card that will enable her to increase such a miserly amount of built in storage. Maybe I should call her back before she presses the "order now" button and tell her the truth.

      1. Anonymous Coward
        Anonymous Coward

        Re: Apple update servers now overloaded

        I installed the bugger on an iPad. Update itself was about 1.1 GB but "required" 5.5. I needed to clean up before installing, the wife's 5C will get the iTunes treatment. Based on past experiences I assume that the update-via-pc process will take less free space. If not, it will unfortunately be a wipe-upgrade-restore jobby.

        I do wonder though: if an OTA update requires that much space, why the hell do they still offer the 8GB 5C, of even offer the iPhone 6 with only 16GB ?

        @returnmyjedi : even if they would offer an external storage option (about the time that I'll check with Beëlzebub for ice cubes in my g&t), I wouldn't assume that they would allow that storage to be used for their update process.

        1. goldcd

          Nobody was supposed to buy it

          That's merely there to allow them to slap a low price on the advert.

      2. Yet Another Anonymous coward Silver badge

        Re: Apple update servers now overloaded

        > I've just got off the phone with my mum

        Your mum have a lot of problems with her nude selfies being released to the tabloids?

        Enquiring minds want to know ?

  7. Sebastian A

    Apple offers customers the option of closing the stable door

    Horse nowhere to be seen.

  8. Fungus Bob

    If your "nude selfie" leaks, you're holding it wrong.

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