MTFS: Merkle-Tree-Based File System
This addresses the need for private, trust-based file storage in blockchain applications, though it appears incremental compared to existing systems like IPFS.
The paper tackles the problem of private file storage in blockchain systems by proposing MTFS, a Merkle-tree-based file system that uses distributed nodes and proxy re-encryption to provide secure storage and faster message propagation, with applications in personal and industry settings like insurance contracts.
The blockchain technology has been changing our daily lives since Bitcoin - i.e., the first decentralized cryptocurrency - was invented and released as open-source software by an unidentified person or a group called Satoshi Nakamoto in 2009. Of many applications which can be implemented based on the blockchain, storage is an important one, a notable example of which is the InterPlanetary File System (IPFS). IPFS is a distributed web based on a peer-to-peer hypermedia protocol to make the web faster, safer, and more open and focuses on public accessible files. To provide a solution for private file storage in the blockchain way, in this paper we propose a Merkle-tree-based File System (MTFS). In MTFS, the blockchain is more than a trust machine; it is an abstract of a cluster system. Distributed random nodes form a tree network cluster without a central controller to provide a secure private storage service and faster message propagation. Advance proxy re-encryption algorithm is applied to guarantee secure file exchanges under permission. Merkle tree will make sure that the files are distributed among the service nodes in a balanced way. The proposed MTFS can be used not only for personal file storage and exchange but also for industry requiring mutual trust in file uploading and downloading in making contracts like insurances.