Disable Airdrop?

There is no way to disable it, per se, but unless you actually click on it, it is not activated. So, even though there might be another Mac nearby, unless you have it active, their machine can't see it. And, if someone wants to send a file, it won't work unless you "accept" the incoming file, so they can't send it without your consent.

Navweb3620 wrote:

it won't work unless you "accept" the incoming file,

While that may be true, I'm a firm believer that a simple virus will run a script that will automate this acception. If you disable AirPort, does that disable AirDrop as well?

I believe it does; although it creates its own ad hoc network, it still needs the Airport wireless capabilities to function.

yes wifi must be on for airdrop to work. So i guess you could plug your macbook pro in via ethernet if your really that concerned.

Turn on your firewall, ensure that you've configured it to drop/block all incoming connections and set it up in stealth mode.

This seems to be the best method I can see.

Apple: would be great to have an option to configure Airdrop to use a non-advertised/unannounced SSID so people can't see it if it runs over WiFI.

Apple: it would be even better if you'd allow Airport to be configured in the Sharing preference pane just like the rest of the protocols and stop trying to be clever.

What's good for some is definitely not appropriate for others who value their privacy or use their Macs for 'work' more than play. For example Airdrop is just not appropriate when using the MacBook on a hotel's shared wireless network. It just brings the day forward that Macs are as vulnerable as Windows machines.

Airdrop is just not appropriate when using the MacBook on a hotel's shared wireless network.

I am a privacy advocate and abhor any intrusion; however, unless you

1. activate Airdrop by highlighting it, and

2. there is another Mac nearby (about 30 ft) with Airdrop, and

3. that Mac has Airdrop activated, and

4. that Mac shows up on your Airdrop screen, and

5. you are asked to accept or deny a file, and

6. You do NOT accept it (or choose to send one to the other Mac),

nothing is going to happen.

I am late to the party, but I did discover a way to turn off Airdrop. Here's how:

(from Rich)

Here’s how to turn AirDrop off:

Open a terminal session and at the prompt, type

defaults write com.apple.NetworkBrowser DisableAirDrop -bool YES

Here’s how to turn AirDrop back on:

Open a terminal session and at the prompt, type

defaults write com.apple.NetworkBrowser DisableAirDrop -bool NO

You’ll need to logout and log back in to see the changes.

Rich goes on to provide a script to turn off AirDrop for new users. See the link to his site (above) for more info.

For those of you who think its safe to leave Airdrop as it is, you don't know my users.

Have fun!

"Nothing is impossible"

FWIW, you can also set this as a preference in Profile Manager (if you're using MLServer, so it gets kicked out to all clients.

Note: if you run "Bonjour Browser", you will see all the other services your Mac advertises, and if there is an unfriendly script on your Mac, it does not need to accept AirDrop transfers, it can just use the ssh scp command to transfer anything it wants to or from your Mac.

Also WakeOnLan will find every active IP and MAC address on the local network. It is very difficult to hide on the local network if you Mac is actually using the network. Turn off you Airport and do not plug into an Ethernet port and do not use Bluetooth, then you can network invisible.

This appears to not have worked

my air drop still appears what should it be doing? I can still see my login and the Aidrop is in the finder

also do I paste all of the following in the Terminal

"defaults write com.apple.NetworkBrowser DisableAirDrop -bool YES'

before and after doing all of this I could not see my wifes Macbook air

Air drop got turned on, on desktop computer (iMac). Since I use/prefer ethernet, easiest solution for me was to simply turn off wi-fi. when I did that, even clicking on AirDrop in the sidebar doesn't do anything to activate it.

I never got to try the terminal step. But plan to keep those instructions, for the future, just in case.

Looks like all I have to do is turn on WiFi [NOT even using the button in AirDrop to do this]; and AirDrop turns back on! So hopefully the terminal command will work, if needed.

babowa wrote:

Airdrop is just not appropriate when using the MacBook on a hotel's shared wireless network.

I am a privacy advocate and abhor any intrusion; however, unless you

1. activate Airdrop by highlighting it, and

2. there is another Mac nearby (about 30 ft) with Airdrop, and

3. that Mac has Airdrop activated, and

4. that Mac shows up on your Airdrop screen, and

5. you are asked to accept or deny a file, and

6. You do NOT accept it (or choose to send one to the other Mac),

nothing is going to happen.

Nothing is going to happen.... and then there's an airdrop hack that allows full remote exploitation even if the incoming file is denied.

http://thehackernews.com/2015/09/hack-ios-airdrop.html

Sure would be nice to have an official GUI way to disable airdrop on a non-mobile device....

AirDrop works through Bluetooth first to initialize connection (based on file size may use WiFi for faster transfer if both peer device is connected to same WiFi). But it ALWAYS handshake thru bluetooth before moving connection Wifi based on file size.

Incase, if you don't have any Bluetooth device connected to MacBook - you can turn off Bluetooth and AirDrop will also get disabled.

Go to "System Preference" & then click on Bluetooth - turn it off.

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If you use Bluetooth on MacBook to connect with other devices like Mouse, headphones etc - this solution will be inconvenient.