About
Privacy
What linscp sends over the network, what it stores on your computer, and how to control both.
linscp collects no usage statistics, has no telemetry and shows no ads. It connects to the servers you open, and to GitHub only when you ask it to look for updates.
Network connections linscp makes
Section titled “Network connections linscp makes”| Connection | When | What the other side learns |
|---|---|---|
| The servers you connect to | When you log in, transfer files, or a queued or scheduled job runs | What any server learns from a client: your IP address, user name, and the files you work with |
api.github.com |
When you choose Help › Check for Updates, or on the schedule you set | Your IP address and that linscp asked for the newest release |
winscp.net or another web address |
When you add a custom command extension from a URL in the preferences | Your IP address and the extension you fetched |
| Your web browser | When you choose a Help menu link or Donate | Whatever the website records |
Nothing else is sent. linscp does not report crashes, does not fetch tips or news, and does not phone home on start-up.
Update checks
Section titled “Update checks”Automatic update checks are off in a fresh linscp. To change that, open Options › Preferences › Updates and set Automatic check period. On the same page you can route the check through a proxy.
The check is a plain request to GitHub’s public API. It carries no identifier, and no information about your sites or files.
What linscp stores on your computer
Section titled “What linscp stores on your computer”- Settings and sites in the configuration file (Linux) or registry key (Windows). See install on Linux and install on Windows for the exact places.
- Passwords, only for sites where you chose to save them. They are obfuscated, not strongly encrypted, unless you set a master password. See stored passwords and master password.
- Host keys of the servers you accepted, so linscp can warn you if one changes.
- History: recent paths, commands and search terms, to fill drop-down lists.
- Temporary copies of files you open for editing, in a temporary folder. linscp removes them when you finish editing; the Storage page of the preferences controls the cleanup of leftovers.
- Logs, only if you turn on logging under Options › Preferences › Logging. A log can show host names, user names, paths and file names; at the highest levels it can show more. Read it before you share it.
To remove stored data, use Clean Up… in the Login window’s Tools menu. It lists each kind of data and lets you delete it.
Flatpak permissions
Section titled “Flatpak permissions”The Flatpak build asks for network access, your home directory (to transfer your files and read your SSH keys), the display, and a few desktop services: the tray icon, opening a folder in the file manager, and logind for the “sleep” and “shut down” actions after the queue finishes.
Privacy of the website
Section titled “Privacy of the website”This manual is a static site hosted on GitHub Pages. GitHub may log visits as described in its own privacy statement. The site sets no cookies of its own.