In the screenshot below, 'uwarnti' refers to the currently logged on Mac user, and the IP address is, well, the IP address. The status area at right helpfully informs us of our SSH connection string.

To turn on the SSH server, enable Remote Login. On your Mac OS X computer, open the Sharing System Preferences pane. Thus, we have immediate, “out of the box” remote connectivity to our Mac boxes. If you are not careful, you can turn your Mac into an expensive 'Door Stop'.The good news is that Mac OS X (both the server and desktop varieties) include built-in File Transfer Protocol (FTP), Secure Shell (SSH), and Virtual Network Computing (VNC) servers. I agree with John Galt, do not start removing Mac OS X components. However, even if they are enabled, to use most of those services the attacker would also need to know your username and password to gain access. However, since it is a laptop, if you leave the home, then if you have any of those sharing services enabled, then the services will be visible to other users, at least in the same coffee shop.

In addition, if your Mac never leaves your home, and you have a home router, and that home router has not been configured to open ports to the outside world, then your router will not even let any of those sharing services be seen by the internet. Mac OS X has a history of NOT opening ports, unless you ask it to, via System Preferences -> Sharing System Preferences -> Sharing -> File Sharingīasically do not enable any of the 'Sharing' options, then Mac OS X will not start any processes that listen for connections, and no one will be able to connect to your Mac remotely. System Preferences -> Sharing -> Remote Login System Preferences -> Sharing -> Screen Sharing System Preferences -> Sharing -> Remote Management

Apple mac remote management