All the cool kids are doing it… and by “it,” I mean Two-Factor Authentication. Apple has just joined the club of Increased Password Security Awesomeness by allowing users to add an additional verification step before being able to do the following list of actions:
Apple has more information about the hows and whys here. Be aware they’re under a heavy traffic load right now, and there is a waiting period for the first step of the process of activation.
In case you need a reminder about why increased password security is a good thing, particularly where popular services like Apple ID are concerned, recall Mat Honan’s Epic Hack this past summer. While Two-Factor Authentication is not bulletproof, it will certainly up the level of difficulty for future breaches.
Full walkthrough: how to enable Apple’s Two-Step Verification for iCloud:
image credit: Apple’s support page