Security advice warns about passwords that are hacked or unsafe

Since iOS 14, iPadOS 14, and macOS Big Sur, your iCloud Keychain has been monitored for some security risks. In this way, users receive useful information about their password use, the so-called security advice.

In the Passwords app or via Settings, the login details of various websites and apps are stored and, if desired, synchronized via iCloud. If these login details contain a security risk, you can check this.

Keychain security advice

Apple users can take advantage of password security advice. This feature shows the passwords of all saved accounts that may be compromised for one reason or another. This may involve passwords that are easy to guess or passwords that have been made public on the internet through a data breach.

The overview clearly indicates with security warnings what the problem is with a specific account. This allows users to take immediate action to make the account more secure.

Consult security advice

• Open Passwords app (from iOS 18, iPadOS 18 and macOS Sequoia)
• Tap or click ‘Security’
• Check the list of risks found

Since iOS 14, iPadOS and macOS Big Sur, you can consult the security advice. For iOS 17, iPadOS 17 or older, you do this via Settings ▸ Passwords. On a Mac with macOS Sonoma or older, you can check this via  ▸ System Settings ▸ Passwords or via Safari settings.

Examples of security advice

1. This password has been involved in a data breach, which means there is a high risk of this account being hacked. You must change your password immediately.
2. Many people use this password, making it easy to guess.
3. This password uses a string, “123”. This makes these passwords easy to guess.

The first message from the overview above is the most important. In that case, the display account is in immediate danger because your username and password are publicly available on the internet. In that case, change your password immediately.

The various security warnings also give you insight into how often you use one and the same password and what the influence can be.

Hide password warnings

• Open Passwords app (from iOS 18, iPadOS 18 and macOS Sequoia)
• Tap or click ‘Security’
• Select an item from the list
• Click or tap Hide to hide it

Do you have iOS 17, iPadOS 17 or older? Then go to Settings ▸ Passwords ▸ Security advice ▸ select a warning ▸ Tap the cross next to ‘Security advice’ ▸ Choose ‘hide’ in the pop-up menu

On a Mac you can apply this via Safari ▸ Menu bar ▸ Safari ▸ Preferences ▸ Passwords or since macOS Monterey via  ▸ System Preferences ▸ Passwords. Click on the cross next to the warning and confirm with ‘Hide’. At the bottom of the list of warnings you can consult the hidden security advisories.

Operation of data breach control

Safari compares all your saved passwords from the iCloud Keychain with a central database and checks whether they have been involved in an internet data breach. During this check, Safari uses special extra secure connections. This means that your saved password information is not visible to anyone, including Apple itself.

If your passwords are associated with a data breach, a security advisory message will appear that will inform you about this. A button will also be shown with which you can immediately change the password and generate a new complex password.