Securing Decentralized Storage in Blockchain: A Hybrid Cryptographic Framework

The evolution of decentralized storage, propelled by blockchain advancements, has revolutionized data management. This paper focuses on content security in the InterPlanetary File System (IPFS), a leading decentralized storage network lacking inherent content encryption. To address this vulnerability, we propose a novel hybrid cryptographic algorithm, merging AES 128-bit encryption with Elliptic Curve Cryptography (ECC) key generation. The algorithm includes ECC key pairs, random IV generation, and content/AES key encryption using ECC public keys. Benchmarking against standard AES 256-bit methods shows a significant 20% acceleration in encryption speed and a 16% increase in decryption efficiency, affirming practicality for enhancing IPFS content security. This research contributes to securing decentralized storage and provides a performance-driven solution. The promising results highlight the viability of the proposed approach, advancing understanding and mitigating security concerns in IPFS and similar systems.