What is an iCloud Keychain? – Definition, Uses and More

What is an iCloud Keychain?

The iCloud Keychain was announced at WWDC 2013, along with OS X Mavericks and iOS 7. Apple attempts to keep an improved control of passwords and users of online services.

It is a tremendously useful tool, so we have prepared this guide to control all aspects of the iCloud Keychain.

The hacks to big Internet companies are becoming more frequent. Theft of users and passwords is usually the most common objective, information that is then sold on the black market and that goes around without any limit.

The last company to suffer it was LinkedIn when a few days ago some hackers stole the credentials of 117 million users.

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Why do I need a keychain for my passwords?

Many of the people to whom I explain how I manage my passwords with the iCloud Keychain find it strange to have different passwords for each service I use.

It is much simpler always to use the same key, and if it is simple to remember then even better. Those are just two of the customs that anyone who knows some internet security would advise against, for two very simple reasons to understand:

Never use the same password for all your services. Basically because as one of them has a security flaw and they get your username and password. You will already have all the others compromised. And security flaws exist, if not tell Yahoo and its users.

Do not use easy to remember passwords. If it’s easy for you, it will be easy for anyone who knows you and wants to steal your password.

Your Date of Birth, wedding anniversary or easy combinations of numbers can easily be guessed by what is known as “social engineering” even by someone who has never seen you and doesn’t know anything about you. Let’s not say if he knows you.

What data does the iCloud Keychain store?

It is not only about saving access data to web pages, users, and passwords. But also use data such as credit cards are stored.

The saved data is of these are only the numbering and the expiration date. But not the security code of each card that you must fill in manually when requested.

It also saves access passwords to the WiFi networks that you have configured on your devices. And developers can also use this function with their applications if they wish.

As iCloud Keychain synchronizes between all the devices that you have activated with your same iCloud account. Once you access the web with your data on your Mac, you will no longer have to enter them on your iPhone or iPad because it will be filled in automatically.

How to disable the iCloud Keychain?

The process is the same as when activated, unchecking the Keychain option in Settings> iCloud account> iCloud> Keychain.

In doing so, it will ask you if you want to deactivate Safari autofill. Offering you two options: continue storing the data on your device so that the autofill options continue to work or delete them.

If you delete them, do not worry that it will only affect that device, not the rest that has it activated. And if you chose to synchronize in iCloud, of course, they would continue to store in the cloud.

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