An email has been sent around to all current users of the two-factor authentication service notifying them that changes have come into effect regarding how they access specific apps.
The new app-specific passwords (which were meant to go live on October 1) add an extra layer of security and mean that you do not need to use your iCloud password to gain access to the app or feature. Instead, you can log into the My Apple ID website and get it to create a temporary, one-use password which will be invalid after the first successful use. Additionally, you can revoke the temporary password at any time, and access to that app will immediately be cut off.
The system is intended to keep precious data from falling into the wrong hands.
The process will work on third-party apps that request access to iCloud data, like Microsoft Outlook. It’s good news for anyone with some form of private data stored in iCloud (so pretty much every user), and it’s good news for Apple, which fell under criticism in the wake of the nude celebrity photo scandal.
The aforementioned email is as follows:
