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De-Drive: A Zero-Knowledge Hybrid Decentralized Storage Architecture Leveraging IPFS, Ethereum, and Client-Side AES Cryptography

by Hamsadhwaj M., Nagendra Prasad K.G., Harsh K.
journal cover thumbnail

International Journal of Computer Applications
Foundation of Computer Science (FCS), NY, USA
Volume 187 - Number 103
Year of Publication: 2026
Authors: Hamsadhwaj M., Nagendra Prasad K.G., Harsh K.
10.5120/ijcad1946d06f93d

Hamsadhwaj M., Nagendra Prasad K.G., Harsh K. . De-Drive: A Zero-Knowledge Hybrid Decentralized Storage Architecture Leveraging IPFS, Ethereum, and Client-Side AES Cryptography. International Journal of Computer Applications. 187, 103 ( May 2026), 1-7. DOI=10.5120/ijcad1946d06f93d

@article{ 10.5120/ijcad1946d06f93d,
author = { Hamsadhwaj M., Nagendra Prasad K.G., Harsh K. },
title = { De-Drive: A Zero-Knowledge Hybrid Decentralized Storage Architecture Leveraging IPFS, Ethereum, and Client-Side AES Cryptography },
journal = { International Journal of Computer Applications },
issue_date = { May 2026 },
volume = { 187 },
number = { 103 },
month = { May },
year = { 2026 },
issn = { 0975-8887 },
pages = { 1-7 },
numpages = {9},
url = { https://ijcaonline.org/archives/volume187/number103/de-drive-a-zero-knowledge-hybrid-decentralized-storage-architecture-leveraging-ipfs-ethereum-and-client-side-aes-cryptography/ },
doi = { 10.5120/ijcad1946d06f93d },
publisher = {Foundation of Computer Science (FCS), NY, USA},
address = {New York, USA}
}
%0 Journal Article
%1 2026-05-17T02:29:11.125480+05:30
%A Hamsadhwaj M.
%A Nagendra Prasad K.G.
%A Harsh K.
%T De-Drive: A Zero-Knowledge Hybrid Decentralized Storage Architecture Leveraging IPFS, Ethereum, and Client-Side AES Cryptography
%J International Journal of Computer Applications
%@ 0975-8887
%V 187
%N 103
%P 1-7
%D 2026
%I Foundation of Computer Science (FCS), NY, USA
Abstract

The rapid digitalization of global infrastructure has amplified the vulnerabilities inherent in centralized cloud storage systems, where single points of failure, administrative access abuses, and external cyberattacks routinely compromise sensitive data. Traditional cloud architectures rely on centralized trust models that frequently succumb to data breaches and censorship. To address these critical flaws, this paper proposes De-Drive, a zeroknowledge, hybrid decentralized storage application (DApp) that seamlessly integrates Web3 architecture with robust cryptographic protocols. De-Drive leverages a hybrid storage model: heavy file payloads are stored off-chain on the decentralized InterPlanetary File System (IPFS) via Pinata nodes, while the immutable reference links—Content Identifiers (CIDs)—are permanently logged on the Ethereum blockchain (Sepolia Testnet) utilizing a custom, highly gas-optimized Solidity smart contract. To solve the inherent privacy flaws of public IPFS networks, De-Drive implements strict client-side Advanced Encryption Standard (AES) cryptography. Files are converted to Base64 strings and encrypted locally within the React frontend utilizing a user-defined symmetric key prior to network transmission. This architecture ensures absolute zero-knowledge storage; neither the IPFS nodes hosting the data nor the blockchain observers auditing the ledger can decipher the underlying content without the specific decryption key. The proposed architecture successfully resolves the blockchain storage trilemma by delivering a decentralized, immutable, and strictly private data vault, demonstrating significant improvements in cost-efficiency and security over both traditional cloud services and purely on-chain storage alternatives.

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Index Terms

Computer Science
Information Sciences

Keywords

IPFS Ethereum AES-256 Zero-Knowledge Storage DApp Solidity Hybrid Architecture Client-Side Encryption Pinata Meta-Mask ethers.js Gas Optimization Web3

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