Apple Introduces New Security Features For iMessage And Apple ID, Arriving In 2023

In addition to optionally extending end-to-end encryption to many other categories of iCloud data, Apple also announced two other new security features designed to keep users safe.

The company has revealed that new security features for iMessage and Apple ID will be available globally on iPhone and other devices in 2023 .

iMessage Contact Key Verification allows users facing "extraordinary digital threats," such as journalists, human rights activists and government officials, to further verify that they are actually sending messages only to the people they intend to send them to.

In conversations between users who have the aforementioned feature enabled, users are warned if a state-sponsored attacker or other malicious actor ever manages to breach the cloud servers and enter their device to intercept the conversation.

As an added layer of security, iMessage Contact Key Verification users can compare a contact verification code in person, on FaceTime, or via another secure call to verify that they're communicating only with that particular person.

Apple ID Security Keys, on the other hand, will give users the ability to use third-party physical security keys to further secure their account. For users who enable this feature, Security Keys strengthen Apple's two-factor authentication by requiring a hardware security key as one of the two factors instead of an authentication code.

“Our security teams work tirelessly to keep user data safe and with iMessage Contact Key Verification, Security Keys and Advanced Data Protection for iCloud users will have three powerful new tools to further protect their most sensitive data and communications”, said Apple.