Your data and privacy: what goes where¶

Your agent runs on your own LusoVPS server, but some of your text has to leave it: to the AI provider, and to the chat apps you connect. This page shows what stays on the server, what goes out, and what to be careful with.


Time needed	5 minutes to read
You need	Nothing
Result	You know where your conversations, files, keys and logs are, and what to keep out of the agent

The short answer¶

The Agents page says:

"Conversations, memory and workflows stay on your server. Only the text the agent sends to the AI model leaves, to the provider you choose."

And, under Where is my data?:

"On your server. Conversations, memory and workflows do not go through our systems. The text of each request goes only to the AI provider you configure."

The server is yours to manage: you have full access to it, as root (AI Agents FAQ).

What stays on your server¶

Each agent keeps its data in one folder on your server (Terminal and files in the browser):

Agent	Agent files
Hermes	`/opt/data`
n8n	`/home/node/.n8n-files`
OpenClaw	`/home/node/.openclaw`

For Hermes, this folder holds the settings with your AI key and bot tokens, the memory, the skills, the scheduled jobs, the connected channels (for example the WhatsApp session) and the conversation history (Back up your Hermes agent).

Where you can see what the agent keeps:

Hermes conversations: every conversation is saved as a session: dashboard chats, messages from Telegram, WhatsApp or Discord, and the runs of your scheduled jobs. SESSIONS lists them and can search inside the messages. (Find and continue past conversations)
Hermes memory: short facts about you, in /opt/data/memories/USER.md and /opt/data/memories/MEMORY.md. Ask Hermes to forget what you do not want it to keep. (What Hermes remembers about you)
n8n runs: every run of a workflow is kept as an execution, with the data it received (for example the body of a webhook call). (See what a workflow did, Receive data with a webhook)
n8n keys: saved as credentials. n8n never shows a saved key again, only dots. (Manage your credentials)
OpenClaw conversations: Pages → Sessions lists them and can search old transcripts; Activity shows a summary of each one. (A tour of the OpenClaw dashboard)

Keep your files in the agent's folder

Everything outside that folder, inside the agent's container, is reset when you save the settings or update the agent (Terminal and files in the browser).

What is sent to the AI provider¶

The "thinking" is done by the AI provider you chose (for example Anthropic for Claude). To answer, the agent sends it text (How much will the AI cost me?):

Your message, and the conversation so far: the model reads it each time it answers (What makes the cost go up).
Hermes' memory: it is loaded into every conversation (What makes the cost go up).
The instructions and history the agent adds to each message. OpenClaw's Usage page counts them too (See how much AI your OpenClaw uses).
Scheduled tasks: each run uses your AI provider, like a normal conversation (Schedule a recurring task with Hermes). Simple checks that Hermes sets up as script-only jobs run without the AI (Website alert recipe).
n8n AI steps: whatever reaches the AI step, for example the message from a contact form that Claude sorts (Contact form → AI → Telegram).

Files you upload¶

You can upload files with the Files tab in the client area (up to 512 MB per file) (Terminal and files in the browser) or, in Hermes, with FILES → workspace (Hermes reads a contract for you).
The file stays on your server. To answer, the agent sends the parts it needs to your AI provider. Do not upload data you are not allowed to share with that provider. (Analyse your sales spreadsheet)
Before you cancel or reinstall, download what you want to keep: treat cancelling as losing everything on the server (Cancel an agent), and Reinstall deletes everything (Restart, Update or Reinstall).

Backups and exports contain your data¶

A Hermes backup contains your keys. The .zip includes your AI provider key, your bot tokens and the WhatsApp session. Keep it in a safe place, never send it by email or chat, and delete old copies. (Back up your Hermes agent)
An n8n export does not contain your credentials, but it does contain everything you typed into the steps: prompts, web addresses, webhook paths, email addresses, and any password you pasted directly into a step. Check it before you share it. (Download a workflow and import it back)
A Hermes session export downloads the whole conversation as a .json file (Find and continue past conversations).

Logs can contain private data¶

Hermes logs can contain parts of your messages and phone numbers or user IDs. Remove anything private before you share them. (Read Hermes' logs)
OpenClaw's Recent logs can show the assistant's answers in plain words (When OpenClaw misbehaves, Skills in OpenClaw).
n8n Executions keep the data each run received (Receive data with a webhook).

To send logs to support safely, see Get help: how to open a good ticket.

Chat apps: WhatsApp, Telegram and Discord¶

When you talk to your agent in a chat app, your messages travel through that app, like any other message you send there:

Telegram: you talk to your own bot, and Telegram delivers the bot's messages to your agent (Connect Telegram).
WhatsApp: Hermes is a linked device of the agent's WhatsApp account, like WhatsApp Web. You message the agent's number from your own WhatsApp (Connect WhatsApp). Use a separate number, never your personal one (WhatsApp, Telegram or Discord).
Discord: you mention the bot in your Discord server and Hermes answers in a thread there. Your own server is the simplest (Connect Discord).
n8n: a Telegram step sends its text to your Telegram through your bot (Contact form → AI → Telegram).

Only the people you allow can talk to the agent: see Choose who can talk to your agent. Everyone you approve can use your AI credit (Answer customer questions from your own FAQ).

What to keep out of the agent¶

Your API key, in any chat, also a chat with Hermes (Change or replace your AI key). Put keys in the client area Settings (Hermes, OpenClaw) or in an n8n credential, not in an n8n step (Keep your agent safe).
Data you may not share with your AI provider, in files or in messages (Analyse your sales spreadsheet).
Facts you do not want in every conversation: Hermes loads its memory into every conversation, so ask it to forget them (What Hermes remembers about you).

Check that it worked¶

You know which folder holds your agent's data, and you have a copy of what matters on your computer.
Your backup file is not in your email or chats.
The Hermes Pairing page lists only people you know.

Common problems¶

Does LusoVPS read my conversations?

The Agents page says: "Conversations, memory and workflows do not go through our systems. The text of each request goes only to the AI provider you configure." (Agents page)

I uploaded a file by mistake

Delete it with the Files tab: tick the file and click Delete (Terminal and files in the browser). If the agent already answered a question about it, the parts it needed were sent to your AI provider.

Hermes remembers something I do not want it to keep

Ask it to forget, then ask what is left in its memory (What Hermes remembers about you). SYSTEM → Memory has Reset buttons that empty the memory; that cannot be undone.

My API key or bot token leaked

Delete it at the provider and create a new one, or revoke the bot token. See Keep your agent safe: a checklist.