Introducing ChainSafe Files

Authored by Colin Schwarz

ChainSafe is excited to announce ChainSafe Files. ChainSafe Files will be the first of many products released by ChainSafe. We envision a world where we can empower people to create and innovate by delivering the benefits of blockchain and other distributed technologies. Our line of products will seek to realize this vision by abstracting away the more complex aspects of this emerging technology in order to deliver simple offerings that are highly accessible for the average consumer. ChainSafe Files is our first step to realize this vision but there will be much more to come.

What is ChainSafe Files?

ChainSafe Files is an intuitive, decentralized cloud storage provider. ChainSafe Files allows users to upload and store files on IPFS and Filecoin through a simple and elegant front end. All of the complexities of decentralized storage are abstracted away. Our users are left with a product that is familiar and easy to use but still delivers all of the benefits of distributed storage such as privacy, security and redundancy.

ChainSafe Files is more private and more secure than traditional cloud storage options. The product is end-to-end encrypted so the user can be sure that their Files are always secure and their data can never be accessed or exploited by ChainSafe or any other party. Privacy focussed users can also sign up with an Ethereum address and pay using crypto. They will never have to disclose their identity or even provide an email address in order to use our service. By leveraging the distributed nature of IPFS and Filecoin, Files is also more redundant than traditional cloud storage, meaning there is a lower chance that your files will ever be lost, misplaced or otherwise unavailable.

How does it work?

ChainSafe Files leverages Filecoin and IPFS to provide users with decentralized, privacy-first storage. We use IPFS for hot and flash storage and Filecoin for persistent storage and redundancy. When a user wants to upload a file, the data is immediately encrypted client side, and then uploaded through our service to IPFS and Filecoin, ensuring end-to-end encryption. During our end-to-end encryption process, user data remains highly secure and is never exposed to any third party including ChainSafe. Unlike regular uploads to IPFS and Filecoin, data uploaded through Files remains encrypted once it reaches its destination which keeps it secure and private from other users of these services as well as from any centralized entity. This means that Files is more private and secure than traditional cloud storage and is also more private than using IPFS or Filecoin out of the box.

Users can download products with ease and with the same encryption, security and privacy guarantees as uploads. These actions are delivered through a sleek and intuitive interface that includes many of the features to which traditional cloud storage users are accustomed such as folder creation, drag and drop uploads, intuitive file organization, and previews for all file types.

Where are we at?

ChainSafe Files is currently available in live Beta. All of the above mentioned functionality is now available in a free version that provides up to 20GB of storage. ChainSafe will soon cut a new release with paid plans that will give users access to more storage and additional features.

What's next?

We have a lot of exciting new features in the works for ChainSafe Files. We are working on features for users who are already familiar with blockchain and distributed storage as well as more traditional users who want familiar solutions that are more private and secure than what is currently available. We look forward to catering to both user types as our project evolves.

Contact Us

You can check out the product for yourself here. Keep up with our development on Twitter for the latest news on ChainSafe Files. If you have feedback about the product, there is a form available that can be accessed from within the product itself.

Thanks to Ben for help on this article!