By Istvan F. Verified by Mary P.
Last updated: February 24, 2023
Over the last few years Apple has been expanding its iCloud service to include a convenient feature called iCloud Keychain, which stores the Safari user's account name and passwords, credit card information and Wi-Fi network passwords across all trusted devices running iOS 7.0.3 or later or macOS 10.9 Mavericks or later. It ensures Mail accounts, contacts, calendar details, and messages are all up-to-date across all devices.
However, as the number of cyber attacks grows day by day, Apple users are obviously questioning the security of iCloud Keychain, especially in the light of recent reports that iCloud had been hacked.
Just as with password managers, it’s important to understand the security measures Apple has taken to protect your data. Let’s take a look at a short technical background of the service and its overall security.
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iCloud Keychain Security
Due to Apple's commitment to privacy and security, the data stored in iCloud Keychain remains protected even if the user's iCloud account has been compromised. This is true even if iCloud is compromised by an external attack or a third party accesses user accounts.
Not even Apple can read your data, which is something that the company has openly claimed in its annual iOS Security whitepaper. iCloud Keychain uses a 256-bit AES encryption to store and transmit passwords and credit card information. It also uses elliptic curve asymmetric cryptography and key wrapping, explained below.
When a user enables iCloud Keychain for the first time, the device establishes a circle of trust and creates a syncing identity for itself. The syncing identity contains the public key that must be signed twice by two additional keys to be validated: the private key (the asymmetric half of the syncing identity), and an asymmetric elliptical key that is derived from your Apple ID password. The circle of trust also contains the parameters used to create the key based on the Apple ID password. This syncing circle is then placed in the cloud where all authorized devices are able to reach it.
When you set up iCloud Keychain on a new device, the previous device that originally created the circle of trust and syncing identity will receive a notification requesting approval for this new access. If you have two-factor authentication enabled, you will be able to activate iCloud Keychain without authorization from the original device.
As soon as the additional device is approved, iCloud Keychain automatically begins updating on that device. Here is what happens from a technical standpoint: the new device notices the syncing circle in iCloud, and that it isn't yet connected to it. To participate within this circle, the new device then creates a syncing identity key pair, followed by an application ticket to the circle.
This ticket will contain the public key for its syncing identity and is signed by a key that is generated from the Apple ID password, at which point the user verifies and approves the ticket on the initial device. As a result, the first device adds the public key of the new member to the syncing circle of trust and places it in iCloud. Finally, both members of the circle sign in and start exchanging data, with priority given to the device that was modified later.
iCloud Keychain vs Password Manager
When comparing 1Password, LastPass, or Sticky Password with iCloud keychain we can say that, in terms of security – since both Apple and password management developers have applied a variety of layers of security to protect your data – it would be hard to choose a winner.
But there is another aspect that’s important to consider: ease of use. That's where password managers step into the picture, since they deliver cross-platform services and protect your data by encrypting it. If you are only using Apple's services and therefore only need to memorize passwords for these accounts, then iCloud Keychain will be more than enough for you. But if you are using multiple browsers and operating systems, then having all your passwords to hand is possible only with a password manager.
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More iCloud Keychain FAQs
- How Do I Access iCloud Keychain on Windows?
- How Do I See My Passwords in iCloud Keychain?
- How Do I Set Up iCloud Keychain on an iPhone?
- Is Apple’s iCloud Keychain Safe to Use?
- Should I Use iCloud Keychain?
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FAQs
iCloud Keychain is safe to use to manage your passwords. However, dedicated password managers are a better option because they offer more advanced security features and are compatible with different devices, not just Apple products.
Is it a good idea to use iCloud Keychain? ›
Should I use Keychain? If you exclusively use Apple products and do not work in an environment where you may need to share passwords, then keep using Keychain. It's secure and convenient. If you use a variety of devices and browsers, you're going to want a dedicated password manager.
What are the disadvantages of Apple keychain? ›
Issues with the Apple keychain
- Can't share passwords. The iCloud Keychain lacks the ability to freely share passwords, letting you only share them with members who are in your Family group. ...
- Won't work on non-Apple devices. ...
- Closed source. ...
- Lack of flexibility.
iCloud Keychain is the official name for the Apple password manager. The concept of a digital keychain to keep passwords and other important information in one location originated with the macOS operating system, then spread to iOS as Apple mobile devices were introduced.
Is the iCloud Keychain better than LastPass? ›
LastPass vs iCloud Keychain.
Without a doubt, LastPass is more versatile than iCloud Keychain. Besides multiple security layers, instead of only two that Apple's built-in password manager has, LastPass offers extra features: you can monitor your bank accounts, audit your passwords, create new ones, and more.
How secure is Apple keychain 2024? ›
Keychain items are transferred from device to device, traveling through Apple servers, but are encrypted end-to-end so that Apple and other devices can't read their contents.
What happens if you don't use iCloud Keychain? ›
If you turn off iCloud Keychain
If you choose to keep the information, your passwords and passkeys are stored locally on your device, but aren't deleted or updated when you make changes on other devices. If you don't keep the information, your passwords and passkeys aren't available on your device.
Is keychain a security risk? ›
iCloud Keychain is safe to use to manage your passwords. However, dedicated password managers are a better option because they offer more advanced security features and are compatible with different devices, not just Apple products.
Do I need a password manager if I use Apple keychain? ›
If you use iCloud Keychain, you should switch to a dedicated password manager because it has superior security and more features to help you streamline password and data management.
What is the difference between iCloud passwords and keychains? ›
Passwords is a subset of Keychain. You can think of Passwords as a rudimentary password manager to handle your username and password/passkey are securely stored. Additional reading: Set up iCloud Keychain.
Save your passwords and passkeys across your devices with iCloud Keychain. iCloud Keychain keeps your passwords, passkeys, and other secure information updated across your iPhone, iPad, Mac, or PC.
Can I trust Apple with my passwords? ›
No one else can access your end-to-end encrypted data — not even Apple — and this data remains secure even in the case of a data breach in the cloud. If you lose access to your account, only you can recover this data, using your device passcode or password, recovery contact, or recovery key.
How safe is iCloud? ›
Once you upload your files to iCloud, your data is encrypted on your device and only then transmitted to Apple's servers. It's safe during transit to Apple's servers and data centers because of the robust encryption. And it remains safe when stored on Apple's servers for the same reason — robust encryption.
What are good passwords for iPhone? ›
What is a good password?
- The password should be at least 12-15 characters long.
- It should use a combination of letters, numbers, and special characters. ...
- It should not be a common word, product, character, name, or anything you can easily find in a dictionary.
Bitwarden: Bitwarden is a great option for families and coworkers, since it allows you to create groups or "organizations" to share passwords. It's user-friendly and intuitive across its apps. iCloud Keychain: If all else fails, iCloud Keychain is a good personal tool.
What's more secure than LastPass? ›
Norton's biometric authentication offers quick, secure access to your vault across all mobile devices, which simplifies usability. Each of these elements contributes to why we believe Norton Password Manager is the best LastPass alternative for integrated cybersecurity solutions.
What does turning on iCloud Keychain do? ›
Use iCloud Keychain to keep your website and app passkeys and passwords, credit card information, Wi-Fi network information, and other account information up to date across all your approved devices and Mac computers (iOS 7, iPadOS 13, OS X 10.9, or later required—except for passkeys, which require iOS 16, iPadOS 16, ...
Should you use iCloud recovery key? ›
A recovery key is an optional security feature that helps improve the security of your Apple ID account. If you lose access to your account, you can use your recovery key to reset your password and regain access.
What are the benefits of Apple keychain? ›
iCloud Keychain is end-to-end encrypted with strong cryptographic keys not known to Apple and rate limited to help prevent brute-force attacks even from a privileged position on the cloud backend, and are recoverable even if the user loses all their devices.
Do I need Apple keychain? ›
Because Keychain Access securely stores and retrieves your user names, passwords, and other information, you can make individual passwords more complex and difficult to break. This can make your individual accounts more secure.
Over the last few years Apple has been expanding its iCloud service to include a convenient feature called iCloud Keychain, which stores the Safari user's account name and passwords, credit card information and Wi-Fi network passwords across all trusted devices running iOS 7.0.3 or later or macOS 10.9 Mavericks or later. It ensures Mail accounts, contacts, calendar details, and messages are all up-to-date across all devices.