Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL)’s CEO said that they will further tighten the security for iCloud users to keep them safe from hackers, says a report from The Wall Street Journal. However, the company did not agree to the claims that it was a lack of security on their part that led to the hacking that resulted in the leaks of celebrities’ nude photos on the internet.
Apple CEO denies company’s fault
Apple CEO Tim Cook, on his first interview on the subject, said that the iCloud accounts of celebrities were hacked when the hackers managed to punch in the right answers for the security questions to get the passwords. He also said some users were fooled by a phishing scam that collected their user ID and password. According to Cook, not a single ID or password got leaked from the company’s server.
Cook, however, noted that to avoid any such activities in the future and keep users safe, an email and a push notification will be sent to users if someone tries to reset the password or retrieve iCloud data or when a device is used for the first time to log into the account. Out of the three security options mentioned above, Apple already used to send an email when someone tried to change the password or log in into the account using an unknown device.
The iPhone maker has announced that all notifications related to user account security will be sent starting in two weeks. After getting the alert message from the server, users can immediately change their password and put control of their account back in their hands.
Creating awareness: most effective measure
Cook further said that the most effective step toward keeping user security intact is awareness rather than technology. He said that the company should have made greater efforts to warn users about hackers and the importance of creating a stronger and safer password.
“When I step back from this terrible scenario that happened and say what more could we have done, I think about the awareness piece,” he said. Cook talked about the Touch ID and the fingerprint sensor on the iPhone 5S when asked if the company has lagged behind others in taking proper security measures.
Cook also said that the company will make sure that its security system requires “two-factor authentication,” under which the user or hacker will need to give two or three things to access the account.
