File Vault: Secure and Decentralized File Storage

File Vault: Secure and Decentralized File Storage

Sachin Kumar, Rishav Kumar, Omkar, S. Sadaqath Ulla Qureshi

Department of Computer Science and Engineering,

School of Engineering and Technology, CMR University, Bangalore, India

Ms. Bhagya K,

Assistant professor, Department of Computer Science and Engineering, School of Engineering and Technology,

CMR University, Bangalore, India

Keywords: Blockchain Encryption Decentralization Smart Contracts, Content Identifier (CID) Access Control, Fault Tolerance Data Sovereignty IPFS, Web3

A B S T R A C T
The increasing reliance on digital data, centralized storage systems have become a dominant solution for personal and enterprise-level data management. However, these systems suffer from several limitations, including data breaches, single points of failure, privacy violations, and censorship. This research introduces File Vault, a decentralized file storage system that leverages blockchain technology for secure metadata management and InterPlanetary File System (IPFS) for efficient file storage.

This system ensures enhanced security, privacy, and availability by utilizing AES encryption to protect stored files and Elliptic Curve Cryptography (ECC) for secure key exchange. Metadata and access control are managed via smart contracts, ensuring decentralized, tamper- proof authentication.

Through its fault-tolerant and scalable architecture, File Vault eliminates the risks associated with centralized storage, making it suitable for use cases such as healthcare, academia, finance, and enterprise data management. The results indicate that decentralized storage can effectively balance performance, security, and cost, presenting a viable alternatives.