Mac® Security Bible

Chapter 11. Securely Accessing Other Computers

IN THIS CHAPTER

Securely moving files between computers over the Internet

Safely sharing another computer's screen remotely

Logging in to another computer using SSH

A part from email and web browsing, discussed earlier in this book, you may have any number of different reasons to access another computer. You may need to exchange files with a client, customer, or employer or upload files to a web server. You may also need to control another computer remotely — either by sharing its screen or via a command-line interface using Terminal.

Each of these ways of connecting to another computer carries certain security risks. There's the usual, all-purpose worry that someone could eavesdrop on your connection and see what you're doing online or steal your password and thereby get access to the same remote computer. But some ways of connecting to remote computers are inherently less secure or otherwise more problematic than others, and it pays to know what your options are and what specific risks or benefits each one involves.