Abstract:

The increasing dependence on online file shar ing and remote data access has heightened the importance of developing secure mechanisms to safeguard digital information. Traditional file storage systems and cloud based services often rely on centralized infrastructures that expose sensitive data to potential threats such as unauthorized access, data tampering, and insider misuse. To address these limitations, this paper presents the design and implementation of a Secure File Access System (SFAS) developed using open-source web technologies, including HTML, CSS, and JavaScript for the client interface, and Node.js with Express.js for the backend server. The proposed system provides users with secure, au thenticated access to files using AES-256 encryption, JSON Web Token (JWT)–based authentication, and Role-Based Access Control (RBAC). The backend architecture employs an event-driven model to handle concurrent requests efficiently, while the logging and auditing module records all user activities for accountability and forensic analysis. Experimental evaluation (fictional) was conducted to assess the system’s performance in terms of encryption overhead, authentication speed, and security resilience. Results indicate an average upload latency of 750 ms and a 93% reduction in unauthorized access attempts compared to standard unencrypted storage. The results demonstrate that the Secure File Access System achieves a balanced trade-off between performance, confidentiality, and user accessibility, making it a suitable framework for small scale organizations and educational institutions requiring lightweight, secure file management solutions.