Summary
Your Apple ID is an account thats worth guarding at all costs.
Remember thattwo-factor authenticationrequires that you not only know your password but also provide a code to jump in.
Suddenly, you lose access to any data you depend on in iCloud.
This includes your iCloud Photos, Notes, Reminders, and iCloud Drive contents.
You cant make FaceTime calls or partake in iMessage conversations if youre unable to access.
If you use an iCloud email account then your email is also out of action.
Apple has a process calledAccount Recoverythat is designed for use by anyone who has set up two-factor authentication.
This is enough to get you back up and running quickly if something goes wrong with your account.
The idea is that a recovery contact will know that you are indeed the person who owns the account.
A recovery contact wont have access to your account or any of the data within.
Their purpose here is to verify your identity should you ask them for a recovery code.
They should always refuse to provide the code if they have any doubts.
They will need to be using two-factor authentication and have a passcode or password on their machine.
They also need to be over the age of 13.
This is a 28-character code that disables Apples standard Account Recovery process entirely.
This has the benefit of leaving you less exposed tosocial engineering attacks.
It also places all of the responsibility for your account recovery in your hands.
you’re free to give copies to trusted friends and family.
You could put it in a text file on a USB flash drive and keep it in a drawer.
You could tattoo it on the bottom of your foot (but we wouldnt recommend it).
Wed also recommend obfuscating the true nature of the code.
Perhaps dont store it with a label saying exactly what it is, just in case someone finds it.
Then again, you’ve got the option to never be too careful when securing your accounts.
