How many people today trust computers and smartphones? Almost all of them store photos, location information, often data and codes from credit cards and countless passwords.
The latter are the main protection mechanism inInternet, they are kept access to everything that the user probably would like to hide, which means that they must be advanced and difficult to select. The number of such passwords accumulates, exceeds a hundred, and now no one can remember them.
To protect and securely store all this information, Apple coined a tool called Keychain ("Keychain").
At its core is a password manager, developedApple specifically for its operating system. This tool was introduced with the release of Mac OS 8th iteration, released in 1998. After this utility was part of every release of Apple, including OS X and iOS (from 2013 it is referred to as the "Keychain iCloud").
It on the Mac is able to store data of differentfor example: passwords from websites, FTP servers, SSH accounts, shared networks, wireless networks, hidden notes, common software and hardware, as well as for certificates and encrypted disk images.
Initially, a similar mechanism was used inPowerTalk application, which was an email client from Apple. The application was created in the early 90's, and Keychain helped control all user data from various mail services that PowerTalk could connect to.
Due to the use of encryption passwords weredifficult to remember and restore. Therefore, a mechanism was needed that would allow the user to enter only one password (master password) that opens access to all mail services (each with its own login and passwords).
This idea, despite its obviousness andutility, almost died at a time when Apple decided to stop supporting PowerTalk. But with the return of Steve Jobs, this function returned to the Mac and worked not only in one program, but in the whole system.
In the 10th generation Mac operating systems andolder all Keychain-files are stored in a special directory of the system, also these data can be found in a special application that is located in the "Utilities" folder.
"Keychain" is a free and free software (the source code of the utility is freely available), which is distributed under the public license of Apple.
The keychain file stores a lot of information, only notes and passwords are encrypted from it, everything else (names, links) is accessible to everyone.
By default, the Keychain-file is protected by the samepassword, as the user account, so the function becomes available immediately after logging in with your login and password. If necessary, it can be installed separately for this function.
Также для большей безопасности можно установить interlocking interval, for example, in 15 minutes. In this case, if the computer was not used for 15 minutes, when trying to use "Keychain" it will request a password.
This product, Apple announced later15 years after the appearance of the original "Keychains". In 2013, at the WWDC conference, along with iOS 7 version and OS X Mavericks, technology was introduced that allows you to synchronize all sensitive user data and securely store them.
This option is a kind of online storage, inwhich contains all user data, including: passwords from web pages, passwords from wireless networks, account information and credit card billing information (with the exception of security codes - CVV).
All this data is AES encrypted.256-bit and are available only to a specific user and only in the Safari browser and applications adapted to work with this utility (they send a request to Safari, the browser checks the links and offers the application a password previously stored in the system).
Also in the capabilities of the service includes the preparation of long, complex and secure passwords for sites on which the user is registered.
Start working with iCloud Keychain at allIt is not difficult, but first you need to make sure that iOS 7.0.3 and newer is installed on the gadget (smartphone or tablet), and OS X 10.9 and newer is installed on the computer.
Setting “iCloud keychains” (instructions for Mac):
How to add a credit card to the “Keychain” (instructions for Mac):
How to configure "iCloud keychain" (instructions for iOS):
How to save a credit card to the “Keychain” (instruction for iOS):
Synchronizing data in a keychain is not a necessary option. Moreover, you can synchronize data bypassing iCloud (only on Mac computers).
To avoid data synchronization with the cloud andtheir subsequent storage there, during the activation of the Keychain, you need to skip the step of creating a six-digit verification code. In this case, all data will be stored only on physical media, locally.
It is also possible to synchronize data usingfiles stored in / Library / Keychains /. Typically, this is used in corporate networks and in the presence of several shared Mac computers. Unfortunately, synchronization often disappears when the password is changed in the system on one of the devices (including Windows).
Before you get all the information stored in the cloud, you must confirm the iCloud Keychain. This can be done using SMS or a second device.
In the first case, the user will receive randomlya generated passcode to verify your identity or fully activate the iCloud Keychain feature. You can confirm from another device if the user has a gadget that already has this function.
This is a special cipher consisting of 6 digits, orfrom the sophisticated alphanumeric combination that is needed in order to gain access to passwords and cards stored in the Keychain, as well as in case of loss of access to it.
Nothing is perfect, not even iCloud Keychain.No, this is not about security holes or data loss, but there are many problems associated with connecting this function and returning access after updating, resetting and setting up a new device. A list of the most common questions and concerns is provided below.
“ICloud Keychain” failed to configure due to the lack of SMS code? If for some reason the SMS message with the password code does not come, you must:
ICloud keychain does not synchronize databetween devices. In this case, it almost always helps to completely disable and enable the function. Make it necessary on all devices. After re-enabling, all of them will receive the most relevant data from the server and continue to work as usual.
Can't find passwords saved in iCloud Keychain? Data about them and credit cards stored in the cloud can be found as follows:
Safari does not save data to the Keychain and does not offer password substitution. This problem can be solved by activating the “Names and Passwords” toggle on the “AutoFill” submenu in Safari settings.
ICloud Keychain is supported for allcurrent Apple devices. These include all computers that run on the basis of the operating system macOS generation Mavericks and newer (almost all PCs produced in 2007 and more modern).
This feature also works on a number of mobiledevices (all on which you can install the mobile operating system version 7.0.3). These include: iPhones from the 4th generation and more modern, iPads from the 2nd generation and more modern, iPod touch from the 5th generation and more modern.
Opinions about this feature vary.Despite the fact that password managers have been around for more than a decade, many users still lend themselves to their paranoid ideas and do not want to synchronize data with the cloud.
During the existence of this option, there was no massive discharges and loss of information, which means that the system can be trusted.
Users constantly complain about problems withre-synchronization and keychain configuration. Solving these problems without the help of a service center is almost impossible. The function simply does not work, people are forced to call the company's technical support department and confirm their identity (to answer secret test questions).
There were quite a few users who saidthat thanks to iCloud Keychain, they were able to completely abandon other password managers and made their lives much easier. Moreover, people trust Apple much more than other companies.
