Sharing files with public access means making digital content available online to anyone without authentication. This differs from private sharing that requires accounts or permissions. While convenient for wide distribution, it bypasses security controls inherent in restricted sharing methods.

Common examples include posting Google Drive documents via "anyone with the link" sharing for easy collaboration with external partners. Developers also often enable public access to files on platforms like Amazon S3 buckets or GitHub repositories during testing phases. Retail sites might publicly share product catalogs via PDFs.

This method offers simplicity and scalability but poses significant security risks like unauthorized exposure of sensitive data or accidental edits. Ethical issues arise if personal or confidential information becomes publicly accessible. Consequently, avoid using public access for sensitive files. Organizations increasingly implement automated security scans to detect misconfigured public permissions and reduce this risk. Future tools may offer more intelligent default protections.