DESIGN AND IMPLEMENTATION OF A SECURE PRIVATE STORAGE SYSTEM

ABSTRACT With the increasing reliance on cloud platforms for storing personal and organizational data, concerns around privacy, data control, and security have grown significantly. This project presents the design and implementation of a secure private storage system aimed at addressing these issues by giving users full ownership and control over their data. The system was built using Next.js for the frontend interface, Firebase Authentication for user login and security, Firestore for metadata management, and Supabase Storage for handling file uploads and downloads. Users can register, authenticate securely, upload various file types, and manage their files through a clean browser-based interface. Metadata such as upload date, file size, and ownership are stored in real-time, enhancing accountability and traceability. Special attention was given to implementing secure file sharing features, which required configuring row-level security policies and permission-based access. Manual testing showed the system to be reliable, fast, and safe, comparable in performance to existing cloud solutions, but with greater transparency and flexibility. By combining modern web technologies and open-source tools, this project offers a cost-effective, scalable alternative to commercial cloud platforms. It contributes to ongoing research in privacy-focused cloud solutions. It serves as a practical model for developers and organizations seeking more control over their digital assets.