There are three types of security concerns with Groove. First, it may be a target for hackers, who want to break into shared spaces to steal information or wreak havoc. Second, Groove itself may be a security threat, since it bypasses firewalls and centralized control, allowing users to share files in a manner that may circumvent corporate security policies, violate intellectual property laws, or spread viruses. Finally, integration with an existing PKI could be problematic.
Groove provides four basic types of protection.
Groove generates the keys dynamically. Users can also attach a voice message with an invitation to a shared space. The third security feature is nonrepudiation. Senders digitally sign all instant messages and shared space messages. The receiving client automatically verifies the signature using the sender's public key, which provides nonrepudiation.