FileShare: A Blockchain and IPFS framework for Secure File Sharing and Data Provenance

International audienceIn this paper, we introduce FileShare-a secure decentralized application framework for sharing files and data provenance. It overcomes the integrity and ownership issues in the existing solutions for file sharing and data prove-nance. In proposed framework, a Decentralized Application (dApp) on top of Ethereum is responsible for user registration and for provenance purposes. Ethereum smart contract is used to govern, manage, and provide traceability and visibility into the history of the shared content from its origin to the latest version. It employs IPFS, a distributed file system, as its data storage layer, avoiding the pitfalls of centralized storage solutions. The proposed framework utilizes an in-built editor to view and modify files. The files will be stored in an encrypted form on IPFS and can only be accessed in the FileShare text editor. Modify and share operations performed on shared files are recorded separately to the blockchain, ensuring high integrity, resiliency, and transparency