Skype wants to sign using key “Apple ID Authentication ...” in your keychain.

Question

Skype wants to sign using key “Apple ID Authentication ...” in your keychain.

I've been running Skype 8.67.0.96 (latest version) on MacOS 10.14.6 (Mojave) for quite some time. All of a sudden, for no explicable reason, a modal dialog appears (sometimes, not always) when trying to send a text message via Skype:

Skype wants to sign using key “Apple ID Authentication 2020-01-04 13:35:22 GMT-06:00” in your keychain.
To allow this, enter the “login” keychain password.

The options are 1) Always Allow 2) Allow, or 3) Deny.

I've been clicking Deny, and it puts the same message up 3-5 times before it stops.

What is causing this? Is it a new "feature" introduced into Skype?
What does it mean?
How can I make it stop doing this?

TIA for any help!

Posted on Jan 19, 2021 3:03 PM

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Answer 1

Apr 26, 2021 1:47 PM in response to BluesBrother3

Close Skype, search the keychain for all Skype entries, delete them. Re-launch

Haven't had the issue since. Running BigSur 11.2.3

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Answer 2

Jan 21, 2021 1:28 PM in response to BluesBrother3

Hi BluesBrother3,

Welcome to the Apple Support Communities!

We understand that you're seeing an alert on your Mac to enter your login keychain password.

Here's a great resource which explains what this is as well as how to address it: If your Mac keeps asking for your keychain password

We hope this helps.

Cheers!

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Answer 3

SnickZ.

Community Specialist

Jan 24, 2021 2:26 PM in response to BluesBrother3

We appreciate you letting us know, BluesBrother3,

If you're only seeing this alert within Skype and you're not using iCloud Keychain, we'd recommend that you contact Skype support directly. They'd be best suited to assist you from here.

If you need help to locate their contact information, you can follow the steps outlined here: How to contact an app developer

Take care!

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Answer 4

Feb 17, 2021 8:07 AM in response to Johny912

No, no solution as of yet. The Microsoft/Skype people seem to acknowledge an "awareness" of the problem, but if they're working on a solution, they haven't found it, yet. I've tried everything they've suggested so far, as well as a complete uninstall/reinstall of Skype 8.67.0.96, all to no avail. The best guess I have is that it's some sort of interaction between Skype and Mojave (I'm running the same version of Skype on another machine on Catalina, and have never see the problem).

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Answer 5

Feb 18, 2021 10:11 AM in response to SarahEMBH

Other than being annoying, it hasn't posed a problem. We just click on Deny a few times (usually 3-4 times) and the pop-up eventually goes away; no need to Force Quit Skype. But like you, we're heavily reliant on Skype, and don't want to give it up, so this "workaround" (clicking Deny until the dialog goes away) will have to do until they get a fix for this - if ever. Some have clicked on Always Allow, but I don't recommend that!

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Answer 6

Mar 23, 2021 10:31 AM in response to BluesBrother3

This is one of those things that probably was a back door into your system that is now just popping up since apple has tightened security. Who knows who is if anyone is using it.

I recommend NOT ever checking ok on something that you do not trust. Even if you trust skype do not give it excessive privileges. It needs to access the microphone, not your password vault.

What I am doing in the meantime is dragging the popup window to the edge of the screen so it outside of my attention. It's easier to ignore when it's off to the side and just a few pixels are visible than when it's constantly popping up.

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Answer 7

Jan 21, 2021 2:03 PM in response to Nicholas_B2

Thanks for the suggestion, Nicholas_B2. However, I have neither option (Lock After n Minutes of Inactivity or Lock When Sleeping) set. Also, this only happens with Skype - no other application (Apple or third party), and it just started happening within the past week. It sounds as if Skype wants to sign something with information from my keychain, and I need to approve this. So I don't think this is a situation where the keychain is "locking" after a period of inactivity and my password is required to unlock it.

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Answer 8

Jan 24, 2021 2:31 PM in response to SnickZ.

Thanks, SnickZ. Yes, this problem only seems to come up with Skype. I have posted my question in Skype's Community Forum, and gotten a response with instructions on something to try (deleting Skype's local data and allowing him to recreate it). I have done that, and am now waiting to see if the suggested solution "fixes" the problem or not.

Thanks!

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Answer 9

Johny912

Level 1

4 points

Feb 16, 2021 5:16 AM in response to BluesBrother3

Hey BluesBrother3, were you able to solve your problem using those Skype suggestions. If so, can you refer me to the link explaining what needs to be done? I am running into the same issue as you and it's annoying. Thanks!

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Answer 10

Feb 18, 2021 9:55 AM in response to danwriter

Ditto. Me too. It's really becoming a pain, since I work from home and use Skype a great deal. I'm having to force quit it now to be able to get rid of the pop-up otherwise I'm not able to use Skype.

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Answer 11

Feb 27, 2021 4:36 AM in response to BluesBrother3

Me too. I'm still running the latest Catalina. It asks 3 to 5 times in a row and is quiet for 6 to 8 hours. Then it does it again. I always hit "Deny" but one of these days my cat is going to hit the wrong button.

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Answer 12

Feb 27, 2021 8:05 AM in response to WillWheaton

I notice the Brave browser has been doing it, too. But not on my older MacBook Air, which is running a 10. series OS. So, some combination of M1 chip and/or very recent OS? Reason #47 to never, ever upgrade as long as possible.

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Answer 13

Mar 11, 2021 8:03 AM in response to arskv6

This falls somewhere in the matrix between the typical kludginess of software updates, new OS (I'm having the same issue on Big Sur), new firmware (M1), and the klutzy villainy of MS. Just keep hitting "Deny" till Dilbert gives up.

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Answer 14

aztcqn

Level 1

10 points

Mar 13, 2021 7:02 PM in response to BluesBrother3

This very annoying event happens in Sierra on a 2012 MBP. 2-3 times asking for access to keychain. Definitely a recent thing because I've had skype on my machine in Sierra for over a year and this just started this week - March 12, 21.

It's irritating because it disrupts my workflow.

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Answer 15

Mar 14, 2021 8:27 AM in response to aztcqn

That, and the fact that the dialog box the ID key request displays is very un-Apple looking, suggests this is a Microsoft action (with or without Apple's acquiescence). It's not unlike Lowe's and other retailers asking for your phone number as part of an automated checkout. It will always ask, you'll always check "no." Here it will always request access and we'll hit "deny" three or four times. In both cases there'll always be a few who will just give in, and the corporation gets more data for free. Lather, rinse, repeat.

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Skype wants to sign using key “Apple ID Authentication ...” in your keychain.

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