IPFS allows users to host and receive content in a manner similar to BitTorrent. As opposed to a centrally located server, IPFS is built around a decentralized system of user-operators who hold a portion of the overall data. Any user in the network can serve a file by its content address, and other peers in the network can find and request that content from any node who has it using a distributed hash table (DHT).[6]
In contrast to traditional location-based protocols like HTTP and HTTPS, IPFS uses content-based addressing to provide a decentralized alternative for distributing the World Wide Web.[5][7][8]
IPFS is used in decentralized applications and content archiving.[9][10]
Design
The InterPlanetary File System (IPFS) is a decentralized protocol, hypermedia, and peer-to-peer (P2P) network for distributed file storage and sharing. By using content-addressing, IPFS uniquely identifies files in a global namespace that interlinks IPFS hosts, creating a hypermedia system that enables efficient and reliable data distribution.[6]
IPFS allows users to host and receive content in a manner similar to BitTorrent. As opposed to a centrally located server, IPFS is built around a decentralized system of user-operators who hold a portion of the overall data, creating a resilient system of file storage and sharing. Any user in the network can serve a file by its content address, and other peers in the network can find and request that content from any node who has it using a distributed hash table (DHT). In contrast to BitTorrent, IPFS aims to create a single global network. This means that if two users publish a block of data with the same hash, the peers downloading content from one user will also exchange data with those downloading it from the second.[11]
Key features of IPFS include:
Content-addressed file storage: Each file is uniquely identified based on its content hash, ensuring data integrity and facilitating efficient retrieval.
Peer-to-peer architecture: A distributed network of nodes facilitates direct file sharing without the need for centralized servers.
Versioned file system: Supports file versioning and allows users to track changes over time.
Interoperability with distributed applications: IPFS seamlessly integrates with decentralized applications (dApps), offering a robust storage layer for blockchain and Web3 ecosystems.
IPFS aims to replace protocols used for static webpage delivery by using gateways that are accessible with HTTP.[12] Users may choose not to install an IPFS client on their device and instead use a public gateway. A list of these gateways is maintained on the IPFS GitHub page.[13]
Beyond providing an alternative for web hosting, IPFS is widely used in decentralized applications, scientific data sharing, and content archiving, serving as a foundational layer for the emerging decentralized internet.[14][15][16]
History
IPFS was created by Juan Benet, who later founded Protocol Labs in May 2014.[5][17] An alpha version was launched in February 2015, and by October of the same year was described by TechCrunch as "quickly spreading by word of mouth."[1]
Network service provider Cloudflare started using IPFS in 2018 and launched its own gateway in the system in 2022.
In March 2020, the Opera browser provided access to the centralized resources of the Unstoppable Domains provider by hosting content in IPFS.
Brave used Origin Protocol and IPFS to host its decentralized merchandise store[26] and, in 2021, added support into their browser.[27] (Support for local node IPFS was removed in 2024) [28]
Opera for Android has default support for IPFS, allowing mobile users to browse ipfs:// links to access data on the IPFS network.[29]ipfs-desktop app, created on Electron
During the block of Wikipedia in Turkey, IPFS was used to create a mirror of Wikipedia, which allowed access to archived static Wikipedia content despite the ban.[32] The mirror has now been expanded to more languages, such as English, Ukrainian, Russian, Arabic, and Chinese. A collection of the mirrors can be viewed by using its CID at an IPFS Gateway.
Malware
Phishing attacks have also been distributed through Cloudflare's IPFS gateway since July 2018. The phishing scam HTML is stored on IPFS, and displayed via Cloudflare's gateway. The connection shows as secure via a Cloudflare TLS certificate.[33]
The IPStorm botnet, first detected in June 2019, uses IPFS so it can hide its command-and-control amongst the flow of legitimate data on the IPFS network.[34] Security researchers had worked out previously the theoretical possibility of using IPFS as a botnet command-and-control system.[35][36]
^Youtube: Stanford Seminar - "IPFS and the Permanent Web"- Juan Benet of Protocol LabsArchived 2022-08-09 at the Wayback Machine Quote: "...The InterPlanetary File System (IPFS) is a new hypermedia distribution protocol, to complement--and eventually replace--HTTP. It improves the security, performance, operation modes, and data friendliness of the Web. In particular, it yields a powerful new model, where websites and web applications are decoupled from origin servers, are distributed trustlessly through the network, and are encrypted, authenticated, and executed safely..."
^Patsakis, Constantinos; Casino, Fran (2019-06-04). "Hydras and IPFS: a decentralised playground for malware". International Journal of Information Security. 18 (6): 787–799. arXiv:1905.11880. doi:10.1007/s10207-019-00443-0. S2CID167217444.
^Macabeus, Bruno; Vinicius, Marcus; Cavalcante, João Paolo; de Souza, Cidcley Teixeira (2018-05-06). Protocolos IPFS e IPNS como meio para o controle de botnet: prova de conceito. Workshop de Segurança Cibernética em Dispositivos Conectados (in Brazilian Portuguese). Archived from the original on 2021-01-17. Retrieved 2021-04-27 – via SBC Open Lib.
