Securing Your Mac Sharing Settings

Learn how to audit and restrict local network sharing on macOS to prevent unauthorized access and improve your system security.

1. Open the Sharing system settings. Click the Apple menu in the top-left corner of your screen and select System Settings. Navigate to General in the sidebar, then click Sharing to view your current network exposure.
2. Disable inactive sharing services. Scan the list of services such as File Sharing, Screen Sharing, and Media Sharing. Click the toggle switch next to every service that is not currently required for your daily workflow to turn it off.
3. Restrict File Sharing permissions. If File Sharing must remain active, click the Info (i) button next to it. Review the Shared Folders list and the Users assigned access, ensuring no unauthorized accounts have Read & Write permissions.
4. Audit Screen Sharing access. Select the Info (i) button for Screen Sharing. Ensure 'Allow access for' is set to 'Only these users' rather than 'All users' to prevent unauthorized remote connections.
5. Verify the Application Firewall. Go to System Settings, click Network, then select Firewall. Ensure the main Firewall toggle is set to On to provide an additional layer of protection against incoming network connections.