File-sharing technology has served us well over the years. In fact, you could argue that the entire internet is effectively a massive file-sharing protocol. We can acknowledge that the ability to send and share data over the internet is crucial to maintaining a society that operates online, but we believe that it can be done better.
File Sharing History
The Internet as we know it is an extremely complex iteration of something called ARPANET. In its infancy, the internet was simply a network of computers on college campuses wired to one another for the sole purpose of sharing processing power. University professors and students would send requests to distant machines, asking them to crunch numbers or send messages. The packages of data sent in those days were minuscule compared to the massive files we share today.
The beauty of the early internet was its simplicity. This simplicity that the internet was built on allowed us to quickly develop new and innovative protocols for increasingly complex tasks. Eventually, email attachments, FTP download protocols, and peer-to-peer sharing methods arose, and the internet iterated on these core sharing methods.
The issue with relying on these today, however, is the same simplicity and iteration that we started with.
Bridging Dangerous Gaps
Old technology means old risks. By relying on familiar file-sharing methods, we have created massive, obvious security risks. These security risks are routinely exploited by bad actors in order to breach the storage servers run by large organizations. The hacks you’ve undoubtedly heard about at Uber, MGM, Discord, and so many other seemingly reliable tech outlets, come about through embarrassingly simple attacks.
We need to use new technology to build new solutions. Today we have decentralized servers, cutting-edge encryption protocols, and widely available two-factor authentication (2FA). These three tools can work in harmony to protect and streamline the file-sharing process.
Decentralization can work to protect and revolutionize file sharing by introducing new and innovative server structures. Decentralization is simply the process of using several computers in tandem with one another to bolster security and functionality. Using decentralized servers means that backups of stored files can easily exist in redundant systems, minimizing the chances they can be lost to corruption. Decentralization also means that a breached server is a much smaller security risk than its more common centralized cousin.
Using encryption and 2FA in tandem with updated sever structures means that we can protect our files both in transit and at the point of arrival. End-to-end encryption ensures that intercepted packages remain secret, while 2FA ensures that misdelivered file-sharing links cannot be accessed.
Join AXEL Go
AXEL Go is file-sharing software for the cautious and the privacy-minded. We use new technology to improve the protocols of the past. Your files deserve the same security you apply to your home and your business. To that end, we have deployed secure, decentralized servers, end-to-end encryption, and customizable link-based sharing services.
Bring privacy to the forefront and share your files for free with AXEL Go today.
