In summary, if a passcode has been forgotten, and perhaps the device disabled due to too many attempts, the steps to resolve the problem depend on whether you have an iTunes or iCloud backup of the device and whether you have enabled 'Find my iPhone' (or iPad) on the device.
It's pretty bad news if you don't have a backup If you don't have a backup, you will (unfortunately) be forced to erase your device and return it to its factory settings, resulting in the loss of whatever was stored and set up on your device. Restoring your device Here is the Apple Support article that provides the various recovery and restoration options. Needless to say, if you have any issues understanding or following these instructions, contact iTandCoffee on 1300 885 420 or enquiry@itandcoffee.com.au. This questions features nearly every week during iTandCoffee classes and appointments. So many people store their passwords in notebooks, on pieces of paper, in their Notes apps and in their Contacts app. Many of these same people do not even have a passcode on their iPad or iPhone, leaving themselves very vulnerable should their device be lost or stolen. Here again is an article about the best Password Keeper / Password Manager apps for the iPad and iPhone. As I have previously mentioned, I use Onesafe and sync my password data via iCloud, so that all my Onesafe data is available on all my Apple mobile devices and computers. OK, so I know I'm a nag when it comes to this topic! HOWEVER ... after the last week of dealing with problems caused by this, I need to say it again. If you use the same password for your various online accounts (for example, your email, eBay, PayPal, iCloud, iTunes, Gmail, Groupon, Deals.com, The iTandCoffee Club, etc etc), you may be putting yourself at grave risk of being 'hacked'. (Did that look like I was shouting? I just need to make sure you hear me!) There are many sites for which you set up an online subscription or account by using your email address and a password. Some of them are fairly secure, but many others cannot be assumed to be secure. In particular, some organisations running subscription services may have the ability to view your password very very easily! Using this password, in combination with the email address you also will have provided to them, they could (if they are that way inclined) attempt to access your other online accounts and wreak all sorts of havoc. They could also sell this information to someone else, who could also make use these login credentials for their evil purposes. So once again, I need to re-iterate: Please don't use the same password for all your online accounts! Yes, I can hear you asking "But how then do I then keep track of all my password?!" Your best way of tracking all the DIFFERENT (!!) passwords that you set up is to download or purchase a 'Password Keeper' app. Refer to these previous article published by iTandCoffee for more information about some recommended apps of this type.
Once again, if you need help with changing your passwords, or with setting up and using one of these Password Keeper apps, call iTandCoffee on 1300 885 420. 7/9/2014 0 Comments Is iCloud Safe?
There has been a lot of press lately about iCloud and the alleged 'hacking' of celebrity iCloud accounts - where nude photos of these celebrities were stolen and published.
This has caused many people to worry that iCloud may not be safe, and may be easily hacked. Is this the case - should you be worried about using iCloud to sync your data and backup your iPad and iPhone? The answer is - it depends! The security of your information in any Cloud-based solution is only as good as the password you use, the security questions/answers you choose, and the level of security that you apply to the account. Additionally, if someone was to steal your iPhone, iPad or computer, the security of your online accounts is very dependent on whether you have password protection on that device. Here are some hints for ensuring that your online data is protected - especially if you store those nude selfies in the cloud, something I would never recommend! 1. Choose strong passwords and use different passwords for each online account
Consider your password as the key protecting your information assets - just like your house key protects your physical assets.
Using an obvious password is similar to leaving your key in an obvious location (e.g. under your doormat). If you then use the same key for your home, your car, your office, your holiday house, etc, then all of these assets will be at risk if someone gets hold of your key (and knows your addresses). Most online accounts have the same address (i.e. your email address), making them easy to access once someone knows your email address and password combination. There are many ways that someone could get hold of your password for a particular online account - through a Phishing email, perhaps if you use public WiFi to access an account in a manner that is not secure, perhaps if a site at which you have that email address/password combination registered is itself hacked and your details stolen (as has happened for eBay and other sites recently). If you use different passwords for different online accounts, you minimise the potential impact of any theft of your login credentials for another online account. 2. Try to choose more obscure security questions and answers
Sometimes, the security questions and answers that you set up to deal with forgotten passwords are just too easy to guess if the person illegally accessing your account knows anything about you.
For the celebrities whose data was illegally accessed in the past week, this is most likely what happened. Given that these people are in the public limelight, answers to their 'secret' questions were probably not as secret as would apply to the average person. If you are given a list of questions/answers to choose from, choose those that would be really difficult for anyone else to guess. 3. Consider turning on 2-step verification for your Apple ID/s
This is something that has been covered in earlier articles, in relation to improving the security of your Gmail and Outlook/Live/Hotmail accounts.
Apple provides the same additional security setting for your Apple ID. If this is enabled, if a device is not listed as a 'trusted' device is used to access your Apple account, a four-digit verification code will be sent to your mobile phone - this could would need to be entered on that other device before access to your account is granted. This would tell you if an un-authorised person is trying to access your account, and would prevent any such person from getting access to your account and its data. Check out the below article 'Scooped' on theiTandCoffee Scoop.it page, to find out how to set up this 2-step verification. Apple has acknowledged a deficiency in its notifications for iCloud
While Apple's iCloud security was not actually compromised or the cause of the celebrity account hackings, Apple has acknowledged that there was a gap in their notification processes.
There was no notification sent to those celebrities of the fact that their accounts had been installed on, or restored to new devices (ie. the devices of the hackers). This has now been rectified, so that you will in future receive a notification whenever your iCloud is installed on, or restored to a new device. 11/8/2014 0 Comments How to change your Gmail passwordGo to the Gmail website, and sign in with your email and password. Click on your photo (if there is one) or the ‘blue person circle' on the right hand side. Click on Account., then click on Security. To change your password, select Change password Enable 2-step Verification and follow instructions.
Have you been scammed by an email from a friend? There has been a wave of phishing emails going around lately, targeting peoples’ email accounts and tricking people into logging into their accounts via ‘spoofed’ web pages that look like webmail logins from their mail host. A significant number of iTandCoffee clients have been taken in by this scam. One of the key reasons people have fallen for this one is that the email has come from someone they know (who has previously fallen for the same scam), so looks like a trust-worthy email. They think that they have been sent a message or a document from the person, and that they are logging in to their account so that they can view what they have been sent. As soon as they log in, they give away their email account’s password and allow the scammers to send phishing emails to all their contacts - so more people can be taken in by the same scam. If the victim does not reset their email password very quickly, they may find themselves locked out of their own mail account! They have also then given the scammers access to all sorts of confidential information held in their mail account, and perhaps left themselves open to further attack through online account password resets and much more. Critically, they may have used the same password for other online accounts - so by giving away one account’s login details, they may have inadvertently given these undesirables access to so much more! Protect yourself now - change your password/s It is essential that, if you think you may have been the victim of such an attack, you change your email account’s password immediately. And, while you are at it, make sure you change the password on any other online account for which you have used the same email address and password combination. When you change your email account's password, it is highly recommended that you also set up a feature called 2-step authentication (if your email host provides this). In the remainder of this article, we will look at how to do this for your Hotmail, Live, Outlook and Bigpond accounts (for Bigpond accounts created since 2011) - or for any other account that is hosted by Microsoft. (Similar steps apply for Gmail, iCloud (Apple), Yahoo and other email accounts - the website you go to will be different though.) To set up 2-step authentication for all accounts that are hosted by Microsoft, you need to log into your account via your web browser (which we will describe in more detail shortly). This is also where you go to to change the password of your hotmail.com, live.com or outlook.com email address. For email accounts that are hosted by Microsoft, but are operated by businesses or other ISP’s, you will need change your password in a different place. For example, for Bigpond mail account holders, you will need to log in to your Bigpond account via the Telstra website, and change the password there. (Some background: hotmail.com and live.com accounts are now considered Microsoft accounts, but still have their @hotmail.com and @live.com suffixes. Other mail providers are also using Microsoft to host their mail - for example, newer @bigpond.com mail accounts are hosted by Microsoft, so webmail for these accounts is accessed using the Microsoft mail website. Telstra started hosting their new mail accounts with Microsoft after about 2011.) Securing your Hotmail, Live, Outlook - all Microsoft mail Visit https://login.live.com and sign in with your email address and password. Click on your account name at the top right to see the set of options shown below, then click on Account Settings. To change your password and/or set up two-step authentication, click on Security & password. (Note. If you are concerned about fraudulent activity on your account, click on the Recent Activity option to see details of attempted accesses to your account.) You will then be taken through a series of screens that help you set up the improved security on your account. There is even an app (Google Authenticator) you can install on your Smartphone or Tablet to provide a security code every time you log in. We will not go through all the steps in this setup, as they are quite self-explanatory. (But if you do get stuck, make a time to see iTandCoffee to assist you with this setup.) Logging into your account with 2-setup Authentication Once you have set up 2-step Authentication, the next time you log into your account you will be asked to enter the verification code that has been provided to you. If you chose to use the ‘Authenticator’ app on your Smartphone, your screen will look like that below. Open the Authenticator app on your Smartphone or tablet. A code will appear - enter that into the Code text box. If you asked for authentication via SMS, you will need to check your phone and enter the code shown there. If you have provided several options for provision of the security code, you will be able to choose which form of authentication you wish to use this time. Defining ‘Trusted’ devices You can specify that a particular device is a ‘trusted’ device, and that you don’t need the be asked for a security code every time that device accesses your mail account. When you enter your the provided verification code during login, just tick the box below to say that you sign in frequently on this device. From that point on, you will only need your password to log into your mail account from that device. Need more information? So, hopefully that gives you enough information to set up your improved email account security for Microsoft accounts.
iTandCoffee can provide further help for anyone who has difficulty with any of the above - call 1300 885 420 to make a time, or email enquiry@itandcoffee.com.au A client who is on an overseas trip recently unfortunately lost her phone in Turkey. Luckily, she had signed in to iCloud and turned on ‘Find my iPhone’ before she left. She got herself a replacement phone in Turkey and, using Find my iPhone on that device (after signing in to her iCloud account), she put the lost/stolen phone into ‘Lost mode' and contacted Telstra to lock the phone’s SIM to stop it being used for calls and data. But she was then puzzled to find, many days later on her trip, a new photo appear in her Photo Stream - a photo that she did not take, of a man holding his daughter, taken in Turkey! So, of course, she was worried that this might have meant someone was using her phone and had access to her information on the phone! She had a Passcode Lock on the device, so how did this photo get into her iCloud Photo Stream? She went back into Find My iPhone on her replacement iPhone, ‘found’ her old iPhone in the list of devices, and chose the ‘Erase iPhone’ option for that device. Since she did this, no unexpected new Photo Stream photos have appeared. But given that she had a Passcode Lock on her device, how did that photo find its way into the Photo Stream of her new iPhone? Regardless of whether there is a Passcode Lock on the Phone, it is still possible to take photos from the ‘lock screen’ when you don’t know the passcode. If the iPhone is signed in to iCloud and the ‘Photo Stream’ feature turned on, any photos taken on the device will automatically appear in the Photo Stream on other devices. The lost phone would just need to be connected to the internet via WiFi for this to happen. Of course, there is always the chance that the person who had this lady's iPhone actually ‘hacked’ her passcode and did have access to the contents of her device before the device was erased. This poor client’s experience is a lesson to all of us on the value of using iCloud, and ensuring you turn on the ‘Find my iPhone’ feature on the device. Then, if your iPhone (or iPad) is ever permanently lost or stolen, make sure you use the ‘Erase’ option of Find my iPhone as soon as possible. This will wipe the device and prevent the person accessing any information on the device, and stop any further interaction with your iCloud/Photo Stream. Your lost/stolen device will be rendered useless, since the person who has it would need the password associated with your Apple ID to activate it again. Another lesson here is to make sure you have a Passcode Lock on your iPhone and iPad, especially when you travel. This prevent any unauthorised access to your device. You would be surprised how much personal and valuable information can be stored on these devices! As has been mentioned several times in articles, don't store your list of passwords in your Notes or Contacts - or anywhere else that is easily accessible. And a third lesson is that it is worth considering turning on the iCloud Backup feature so that, should your lose your device, you can simply replace it and everything from this iCloud backup. For more information on any of the above, contact iTandCoffee.
If I hadn't already invested my time and money in Onesafe as a password keeper for my iPad, iPhone and Mac, I would certainly by purchasing 1Password instead. It gets such great reviews and looks really good.
If you don't already have a password keeper, why not consider getting 1Password now. I 'scooped' the below article last week - why not have a read and decide if it is the app for you?!
How many passwords do you have? Lots? Ever struggled to remember them all, especially those infrequently used passwords? Have you written your passwords in a notebook, in 'Notes' on your iPad or stored them in your Contacts? Or have you perhaps done what a lot of people tend to do - just use the same password in lots of different places, for lots of different online accounts - just so that you don't have to remember a variety of passwords? Hmmm. Perhaps the latter is not such a great idea - because if someone gets hold of your email address and password, they can have quite a field day getting access to all sorts of accounts that you might have set up using these - your email account, iTunes, iCloud, Groupon, Dropbox, etc etc.
On the other hand though, we all hate having a variety of passwords. It is IMPOSSIBLE to remember them all. So how do you solve this problem and make sure you keep your passwords safe? I use a combination of things to make my life easier when it comes to passwords. I use iCloud's 'Keychain' (new in iOS 7 - turn it on in Settings->iCloud) to get my devices to 'remember' passwords (making sure, of course, I first have a strong passcode on my device). And, most importantly, I use a product called OneSafe. OneSafe allows me to store all sorts of passwords, ID's and registration details - email account passwords, website account passwords, medicare numbers, car insurance policy numbers, passport numbers, etc etc. All I have to do is remember a single password to be able to access all other passwords that I have put in my OneSafe (which of course needs to be a strong password). In this way, I can have lots of different passwords, but still work out what these passwords are should I ever forget (which I regularly do!). And OneSafe syncs my all this information to all my Apple devices via iCloud - my iPad, my iPhone and my Mac computer. But OneSafe is not the only App that provides 'password keeper' functionality. There are several other really good ones. Check out this article published last year in the Sydney Morning Herald for a review of various Password Keepers for i-Devices. |
What's on at iTandCoffee ?Below is our list of videos, classes and other events that are coming up soon.
Videos shown are offered for eligible members of the iTandCoffee Club. If you have questions, why not join fun and informative 'user group' meetings, held once a month. All iTandCoffee classes are run as online classes (using Zoom), which means you can attend from anywhere. |
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