Apple promises to add more iCloud security after celebrity hacking scandal

After the recent hacking of celebrities' private nude photos, Apple has promised to increase the security on its iCloud service.

Apple CEO Tim Cook told The Wall Street Journal that iCloud users would receive a notification if other users attempted to access their accounts on new devices. Cook denied, however, that a lack of security was behind the recent intrusion on celebrity accounts. Users will also receive notifications when an account password is changed.

Apple is also promising to more broadly encourage its "two-factor authentication" program, which requires two of three things: a password, an access key (provided when the device is first registered), or a separate one-time code in order for a user to log in. While two-factor authentication already exists on devices, in its current state, it is not advertised and is tough to switch on unless you know what you're looking for.

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In response to the celebrity iCloud hacking, Cook told WSJ that the hackers may have provided correct answers to security questions. He also stressed the importance of user awareness about hacking.

"When I step back from this terrible scenario that happened and say what more could we have done, I think about the awareness piece," Cook told the Journal. "I think we have a responsibility to ratchet that up. That's not really an engineering thing."