OpenAI's Computer History Feature Stores Keystroke Logs in Plain Text

OpenAI has launched "Computer History," an opt-in tool for ChatGPT Pro, Business, and Enterprise users on macOS that creates a searchable record of user activity. The feature has sparked security concerns because it stores sensitive interaction data as unencrypted plain-text files on the user's local machine.

Utilizing macOS accessibility systems, Computer History records a stream of interaction events, including typing, clicks, keyboard shortcuts, and application switches. According to OpenAI documentation, these generated memory files are stored locally as plain-text Markdown files within the directory `~/.codex/memories/extensions/skysight/`. While temporary event files are kept in the ChatGPT App Group and deleted after 48 hours, the permanent memory files remain accessible on the disk. The feature is disabled by default and requires users to enable the "Memories" setting to function. Currently, the tool is unavailable in the United Kingdom, Switzerland, and the European Economic Area (EEA).

Evolution from Chronicle

Computer History represents a technical shift from a previous research preview known as "Chronicle." While the earlier Chronicle system relied on capturing screenshots to track user activity, the current implementation uses an interaction-event stream. This approach allows ChatGPT and Codex to build a chronological timeline of activity, which the AI can then reference to help users recover lost context or automate complex workflows based on their previous actions.

Security Implications

The decision to store detailed logs of user behavior—including keystrokes—in an unencrypted format creates a significant vulnerability. Security analysts note that if a local machine is compromised by malware or accessed by an unauthorized party, these plain-text logs could serve as a roadmap of a user's private work. Because the files are not encrypted, any entity with access to the file system can read a detailed history of the user's communications and potentially sensitive data entered into various third-party applications.

Future Outlook

As OpenAI continues to integrate ChatGPT more deeply into the operating system level, the tension between utility and security remains a primary focus. It remains to be seen if OpenAI will introduce encryption for these local Markdown files in response to security critiques. For now, users opting into the feature must weigh the productivity gains of a searchable activity memory against the risks of storing raw interaction data on their local drives.