EternaVault

A decentralized digital vault that keeps personal data encrypted during life and releases it only to verified heirs through on-chain identity and validator approval.

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Inspiration

People store their most important memories and documents digitally, yet there is no reliable, privacy-preserving way to pass them on intentionally.

Most existing systems rely on passwords, centralized platforms, or legal processes that are slow, opaque, and often fail. We wanted to build a system where intent, identity, and timing are enforced by design — not by trust or human judgment.

EternaVault was inspired by the gap between how emotionally important digital legacy is and how poorly current systems handle it.

What it does

EternaVault is a digital inheritance protocol that allows users to:

  • Encrypt files client-side so no server can ever read them
  • Assign a verified heir in advance
  • Require validator confirmation before inheritance is triggered
  • Release access only when on-chain conditions are met

The system ensures:

  • No premature access
  • No impersonation
  • No platform-level override

If conditions aren’t met, access is cryptographically impossible.

How we built it

Frontend

  • React + Vite
  • Role-based dashboards (Owner, Heir, Validator)
  • Local encryption and decryption in the browser

Security

  • Client-side AES-GCM encryption
  • Encryption keys never leave the user’s device

Backend

  • Node.js + Express
  • Stores encrypted blobs and metadata only
  • Zero plaintext handling

Storage

  • Supabase Storage (ciphertext only)
  • Supabase Postgres for metadata

Blockchain

  • Solidity smart contract deployed on QIE Mainnet
  • Enforces heir registration, validator approval, and access checks

Optional AI

  • Generates legacy summaries only after authorized decryption

Architecture Client encrypts → backend stores ciphertext → smart contract governs access → heir decrypts locally

Design & The Vibe (UI/UX)

The UI was designed to be:

  • Minimal and calm
  • Free of technical jargon
  • Clear about roles and system state

Key UX decisions:

  • Strong separation of responsibilities (Owner / Heir / Validator)
  • Simple state indicators instead of complex workflows
  • No urgency-driven alerts or notifications

The goal was to make a sensitive system feel composed, predictable, and trustworthy.

Challenges we ran into

  • Making strong cryptographic guarantees without exposing complexity to users
  • Designing strict access control that remains understandable
  • Ensuring the backend had zero authority over permissions
  • Balancing mainnet blockchain logic with smooth UX

Accomplishments we’re proud of

  • Built a fully working end-to-end product (not a mock or concept)
  • Achieved zero plaintext exposure across all layers
  • Deployed and interacted with a live mainnet smart contract
  • Implemented identity-based inheritance without passwords
  • Delivered a UX focused on clarity rather than novelty

What we learned

  • UX clarity directly impacts perceived trust
  • Security systems should feel quiet, not aggressive
  • On-chain logic can simplify user flows when designed well
  • Emotionally sensitive use cases require restrained design

What’s next for EternaVault

  • Multi-validator quorum approval
  • Expanded inheritance conditions
  • Accessibility improvements
  • Zero-knowledge identity proofs

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