The Messages app in Mavericks has the option to share your screen (Buddies > Share my screen...). Just learned about it today.
I've been wondering how secure it is to use over the internet.
Any thoughts as to if the screen sharing session is encrypted?
I'm using Mavericks, and haven't found anything that says if the sessions are encrypted or not.
If the box marked Use SSL is checked in the account settings, it's secure. Otherwise it's not.
Thanks for the quick answer!
In my accounts list (Preferences > Accounts), I have only iMessage and Bonjour.
The article I found showing how to screen share said to enable screen sharing, enable Bonjour in the account list. The Bonjour options don't have any ssl options.
A little more searching, I found that Google Talk (or Jabber, AIM) can be used to share screens as well. Messages (Mavericks): Share your screen
Adding Google Talk, I see there is a tab in the account settings to use SSL.
Since I'll be helping a family member set this up at a distance, Bonjour would be the easier option to enable since it's listed there by default. But there's no advanced tab with ssl options.
Are the Bonjour connections encrypted by default?
Thanks!
Bonjour works within the local network. You can't use it over the Internet unless you enable "Back to My Mac" in iCloud, which isn't intended to be used with someone else's computer.
Hi,
The Messages app can use different ID to use the different services.
It can use Apple IDs to use the iMessages service (Text Only) But you can invoke FaceTime from an existing conversation.
By default you also get the Bonjour Account.
If you have other Macs on your LAN (and they use iChat or Messages with Bonjour Enabled) you can Screen Share with them (in addition to Video Or Audio Only chats).
You can join the AIM service with some Apple IDs (ending in @me.com and @icloud.com in most cases and sometime @mac.com depending on your OS version) and of course with AIM or AOL registered Screen Names.
Mac to Mac (iChat or Messages) these can Screen Share over the internet.
Whilst the Login may be SSL (AIM almost insist on in nowadays) the Video chats, Audio Only chats and Screen Sharing are Peer-to Peer connections.
There are steps in the connection process to make sure you are not vulnerable to "Man-in-the-Middle" attacks.
They will only work AIM to AIM.
Jabber (Or XXMP) accounts can include GoogleTalk or Google Mail IDs in reality or Facebook chat IDs are valid Jabber IDs.
You can of course register for a Jabber ID on any other Jabber server you know about.
These will work Jabber to Jabber must be to a Mac using iChat or Messages and not other apps or web Browser logins (As you can do with both Facebook and Google).
The Yahoo account is text only.
8:55 pm Wednesday; July 16, 2014
I found the link to contact Apple to ask for sure, and the representative said that if SSL is selected for the account (Google Talk) for instance, then the messaging and the screen sharing would both be encrypted. The representative said that he uses that feature for work and has the "Use SSL" option enabled thus encrypting the traffic.
So to recap what I've learned. As it stands, to screen share on a Mac, you can:
*Apple tech support said that Apple is working on making it so that iMessage can screen share without having to add an account (Like Google, AIM, etc.)
Hi,
That is correct.
At present Messages can use one form or Video chat protocols. It uses these with AIM and with Jabber Logins (GoogleTalk and Facebook chat are Jabber Logins).
The connection process for Video and for Audio only Chats are exactly the same.
Screen Sharing in Messages is an Audio Only chat with VNC connection along side for the "pictures" or the other screen.
As you say the Bonjour Account will also do this but mostly works on a LAN without certain other features being in play.
At this moment in time FaceTime uses similar but different Video Protocol and connection process and is only Invoked by starting up FaceTime if you want to Video to the iMessages Contact.
The FaceTime App dopes not offer Screen Sharing.
Apple have a very strict code of not revealing new coming features so I personally would doubt what you heard.
7:41 pm Thursday; July 17, 2014
Is screen sharing through the Messages app encrypted?
