Is it a bad idea to give app permission to record screen?

[hajime]

Hi, some apps such as displaylink require us to give permission to record screen. Will this create a security risk? Even some may consider that displaylink is reliable, is there a possibility that some malicious apps make use of this to cause security risk in our Mac system?

 

[DarkPremiumCho]

Yes but I don't think Apple would allow other apps to exploit displaylink's existing permissions.

 

[hajime]

Thanks. So if I can avoid using displaylink, better not to install it?

 

[Big Bad D]

Some apps need the access to work the way intended. In the support or FAQ, the app developer will often explain why access is needed. So it's a balance between risk and what you functionally want an app to do. I don't use Displaylink so offer no view, but I do use other trusted apps which need access.

 

[Nermal]

I think Apple's terminology could be creating a bit of confusion. DisplayLink needs to "see" what's on the screen so that it can send that image to the connected screen. It's not "recording" in the traditional sense.

 

[Analog Kid]

I think Apple's terminology could be creating a bit of confusion. DisplayLink needs to "see" what's on the screen so that it can send that image to the connected screen. It's not "recording" in the traditional sense.

Yeah, this has always bothered me. In truth, if it can see it, it could record it, so the wording is the pessimists view, but it does make it sound like it’s asking specifically to record the screen

 

[bogdanw]

is there a possibility that some malicious apps make use of this to cause security risk in our Mac system?

Yes.

So if I can avoid using displaylink, better not to install it?

You can give the permission only when using the app and remove it after.
System Settings - Privacy & Security - Screen Recording
https://support.apple.com/guide/mac...ty-settings-on-mac-mchl211c911f/13.0/mac/13.0

 

[Manachi]

There's not really any confusion in wording.

Let's be clear here. By providing Displaylink the permission to Record/view the screen, that's exactly the permissions and data being made available to it.

In other words, it's giving closed source propriety software product full access to your screen data and everything that appears on it. What does this 'black-box' software do with that data? We don't know, because it's closed source and propriety.

Yes we know it needs the permission to provide the functionality it does - which is a workaround way of sending video data via USB (because Apple failed to provide basic dual-external monitor functionality), but can we be sure what else DisplayLink does with that data? No.

Is it safe? We can't be certain.

Is it recording/saving/keeping/doing analytics on all of the data that appears on your screen including sensitive, private and potentially incriminating information? Is it selling your data? Training AI with it? Maybe - we don't know.

 

[FreakinEurekan]

Thanks. So if I can avoid using displaylink, better not to install it?

It's a catch-22. If you want/need more displays than your computer will support, then DisplayLink or similar is the best way to accomplish that.

As others said - can you KNOW what's being done with that data? No.

So the answer is "yes, if you can avoid using it, it's better not to install it."

But the answer is also "no, if you want more displays, you're better off installing it" - because it's by far the simplest solution (short of replacing your computer).

 

[p33t3r]

You can also use a network monitoring solution such as Little Snitch or Lulu to block the app you're worried about from sending any data out from your computer. If the data is stored only locally it can't really do that much harm.