How to set up two-factor authentication for your Apple ID and iCloud account It only takes a minute or two to set up. body> If you aren't using two-factor authentication to protect your Apple ID and iCloud account, you really should do it. In the past, hackers claimed to have millions of stolen iCloud credentials are demanded Apple pay a ransom (ZDNet obtained a sample set of credentials and determined they were real). So even as Apple does what it can to protect your data, events like this—though unlikely–can happen. But guess what? Using two-factor authentication should protect you completely. It's easy to set up, so take a minute and do it now.