Problem Statement

Current Limitations

1. Centralized Storage Risks

• Single Point of Failure: Traditional cloud providers represent centralized targets for attacks

• Trust Requirements: Users must trust providers not to access, modify, or lose their data

• Vendor Lock-in: Proprietary formats and APIs make migration difficult

• Censorship Vulnerability: Centralized entities can be compelled to restrict access

2. Blockchain Storage Limitations

• Cost Prohibitive: Storing large files on-chain is economically unfeasible

• Privacy Concerns: Public blockchains expose all data to everyone

• Scalability Issues: Most blockchains cannot handle high-throughput data operations

• Complexity: Existing solutions require deep technical knowledge

3. Verification Challenges

• All-or-Nothing Disclosure: Proving data properties typically requires revealing the data itself

• Trust in Third Parties: Verification often depends on trusted intermediaries

• Lack of Programmability: Limited ability to create custom verification logic

The Gap

What's missing is a solution that combines:

• ✅ Strong encryption (client-side, user-controlled)

• ✅ Decentralized storage (censorship-resistant, redundant)

• ✅ Zero-knowledge proofs (verify without revealing)

• ✅ Blockchain integration (immutable audit trails, decentralized identity)

• ✅ User-friendly experience (no PhD in cryptography required)

ZKFile fills this gap.