If you have recently updated Ubuntu, chances are a new bug might be sharing your media files with users on the same network.
Reportedly, the problem is the part of Ubuntu’s easy media sharing feature in the latest version of Ubuntu 19.10.
The feature under Settings ➔ Sharing ➔ Media enables users to send media files such as pictures, videos, and music over the local area network.
However, users running Ubuntu 19.10 in a non-GNOME Shell/Ubuntu session report that the media sharing feature autostarts at login, without warning users that it is being run in the background.
This enables other users on the same local area network to access media files and folders without the owner knowing. One affected user said: “My colleague at work just informed me that all my pictures & videos are available to the entire company.”
What is the solution?
Some Ubuntu users claim the culprit is an upstream configuration that asks systemd to toggle media sharing.
While there is no permanent fix for the bug, however, developers are working towards it and a fix would roll out in no time.
If you have updated to the Ubuntu 19.10, you can go to the Media Sharing feature and make sure that it is toggled off. A temporary fix would be uninstalling the Rygel package since the feature is powered by the Rygal media server.
Users who are running Ubuntu 19.10 and use GNOME Shell are not affected by the error.
