ChainSafe Files: Encrypted Sharing
Authored by Colin Schwarz
ChainSafe Files provides highly private, highly secure cloud storage that allows users to maintain full sovereignty over their data. Our product leverages IPFS and Filecoin to give users all the benefits of distributed storage and blockchain technology. Files abstracts away the complexities of these systems to deliver a simple, user-friendly experience. In this way, users can enjoy easy access to our data storage solution that is more private, more resilient, and more decentralized than traditional cloud storage options. Try it today here!
Sharing
ChainSafe Files' latest feature release is sharing! Through hours of shadowy super coding, the Files team has developed and enabled end-to-end encrypted file sharing between existing users. This means you can share any of your uploaded files either by username, sharing key or anonymously via a Web 3.0 wallet! This opens up a lot of powerful use cases for the application, without compromising on our core promises of privacy, security and data sovereignty.
In addition to sharing files with one another, users can now control permissions settings for their shared folders. The new feature includes options to give view-only permission and edit permissions for shared folders, all through an intuitive UI.
How it Works
Users can create a shared folder with any other existing users. In order to maintain end-to-end encryption, a unique encryption key is generated for each shared folder. To create a shared folder, head over to the "Shared" menu on the left hand bar and click "Create Shared Folder." From here, you can name the folder and add other users to it. Users can be added to the share with either "edit" or "read only" permissions. Editors can upload and reorganize folder contents, while view-only users can view the folder's contents but cannot alter them.
In the "Create Shared Folder" modal, users can be searched for and added using either their username, Ethereum address or sharing key. Your sharing key can be found in the settings tab, where you can also set your public username. If you would like to share via Ethereum address, it will be the same as the one you use to sign in.
Adding someone to a shared folder will allow them to decrypt the entire contents of that folder. Make sure you are willing to share all the files in a folder before sharing it with someone else. If you would like to share various files with different individuals, simply create specific folders for each distinct share. The folder structure is what allows us to maintain private and distinct encryption keys so if you are sharing a single file, it should be done by creating a shared folder.
Sharing on ChainSafe Files comes with full access control. If you would like to revoke someone's access to a shared folder, click "Manage Access" and remove the desired user. You can change a user's access level by removing them from one access list, and adding them to another. As the owner, you can also delete files from a shared folder. Deleted files will no longer be accessible to anyone else with access to that folder unless they have a copy of that file in their home folder.
What's Next?
Our next step will be link sharing. This will allow you to share a secure link with anyone on the internet through any medium you choose. This way, you can invite people to your shared folders, even if they don't already have a Files account!
Beyond sharing, our next feature release will be billing. This will allow users to sign up for paid plans and enjoy access to additional storage. Payments will be accepted via crypto or credit card.
After billing, the team will focus on enhanced collaboration between users. This "teams" feature, will include enhanced permissions setting, and a suite of other tools to make it easy for groups of people to share and collaborate without compromising their security, privacy or data sovereignty.
While this work is underway, the Files team will deliver ongoing upgrades to the design and UX of the product as well as it's performance and efficiency.
Get Involved
We rely on user feedback to help make files better so we would love to hear your thoughts! What do you like about Files? Is there anything you would change? What feature would you like to see in the future? Tell us what you think in our Files power user Telegram group, or on GitHub. Also feel free to reach out on twitter Twitter and head over to our Discord channel for product support and Q&A.
Want to work with ChainSafe? Come join us! Check out the careers section of our website with our open positions, and get in touch with us at careers@chainsafe.io if you are interested!
