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Full Version: Chat History/Archives: Are they Encrypted on Local Drive?
Skype Community > English > General discussion > Security, Privacy, Trust and Safety
TAllenSr
Mon Oct 9 2006, 16:26
Reading the FAQ's for Privacy/Security, I found the following information regarding the Security of Chat:

1. The actual Chat Sessions are fully encrypted on the wire
2. The default Chat archiving setting is "Keep chat history forever"
3. Chat Histories are only stored on the local hard drive of the PC on which the chat session was performed

So here is my question: Are the chat history files stored on the local hard drive of the PC encrypted? If so, what is the encryption method/length, etc?

Thanks!
Troy
GLADIATOR
Tue Oct 10 2006, 03:57
QUOTE(TAllenSr @ Mon Oct 9 2006, 16:26) [snapback]306005[/snapback]

Reading the FAQ's for Privacy/Security, I found the following information regarding the Security of Chat:

1. The actual Chat Sessions are fully encrypted on the wire
2. The default Chat archiving setting is "Keep chat history forever"
3. Chat Histories are only stored on the local hard drive of the PC on which the chat session was performed

So here is my question: Are the chat history files stored on the local hard drive of the PC encrypted? If so, what is the encryption method/length, etc?

Thanks!
Troy


They are not encrypted once stored on your machine, as you can open history via your browser.
mcowher
Tue Oct 10 2006, 13:51
QUOTE(GLADIATOR @ Tue Oct 10 2006, 03:57) [snapback]306211[/snapback]

They are not encrypted once stored on your machine, as you can open history via your browser.

Are you sure? All the chat histories seem to be stored in the following folder:

QUOTE
C:\Documents and Settings\windows_username\Application Data\Skype\skype_username\chatsync

There are a number of sub-folders in this folder, all containing *.dat files, which appear to be encrypted if you open them in a text editor.
Dan Blackburn
Wed Feb 20 2008, 02:41
QUOTE
QUOTE
C:\Documents and Settings\windows_username\Application Data\Skype\skype_username\chatsync


Does anyone know where this location is on a vista machine?

Dan
GLADIATOR
Wed Feb 20 2008, 09:17
Exit Skype.
Type into your browser:
%appdata%

SKYPE files should be there.
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