Because your secrets deserve CipherSafe.

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CipherSafe is a console-based secure file vault application built in C++, designed to simulate how encrypted file storage systems work internally.
The project focuses on core backend concepts such as authentication, encryption, file system design, metadata management, and clean architecture — without relying on any GUI frameworks.

Note: This project is built for learning and demonstration purposes. Encryption used is XOR-based and not intended for production security.

Features

1. Authentication System

   • Master user sign-up & sign-in
   • Secure password hashing with salt
   • Persistent user storage (JSON-based)
   • Session-based login tracking

2. Vault Management

   • Import & encrypt files into a secure vault
   • Per-file metadata management
   • Unique ID-based file tracking
   • Automatic directory creation per file

3. File Lifecycle

   • Soft delete (move to temp/)
   • Recover deleted files
   • Permanent purge (irreversible)
   • Encrypted files stored at rest

4. Encryption

   • XOR-based encryption & decryption
   • Binary-safe (works for text, images, etc.)
   • Key derived from logged-in master user

Project Architecture

Data Directory Structure

Tech Stack

Component	Technology
Language	C++ (C++20)
Build Tool	g++ (MinGW on Windows)
Storage	File System + JSON
Encryption	XOR-based (custom)
Libraries	STL, <filesystem>, nlohmann/json

Libraries Used

1. STL (Standard Template Library)

   • std::vector
   • std::string
   • std::filesystem
   • std::fstream
   • std::ctime

2. nlohmann/json

   • Used for persistent storage of:
     • User credentials
     • Vault index
     • File metadata

3. Header-only JSON library.

Acknowledgements

• nlohmann/json — Header-only JSON library for C++
  Created by Niels Lohmann
  Used for structured and persistent data storage (auth.json, vault index, metadata).
  GitHub: https://github.com/nlohmann/json

Data Structures Used

Structure	Purpose
vector<VaultFile>	Tracks all vault files
struct VaultFile	Stores file metadata
enum class FileLocation	Objects vs Temp
JSON Arrays	Persistent indexing

System Design Overview

1. AuthManager

   • Handles master users
   • Password hashing & verification
   • Login session tracking
   • Persistent storage in auth.json

2. VaultManager

   • Manages encrypted files
   • Handles file lifecycle
   • Maintains vault_index.json
   • No UI responsibility (logic-only)

3. UI Layer

   • AuthUI → Authentication menu
   • DashboardUI → Vault operations
   • Input validation & flow control

Application Workflow

1. Application Start

   • Load existing master users
   • Display authentication menu

2. Authentication Phase

   • User signs up OR signs in
   • Password is verified via hashing
   • Session is established

3. Dashboard Phase

   User can:

   • Import & encrypt files
   • List stored files
   • Decrypt files
   • Soft delete / recover

4. Logout

   • Session cleared
   • Vault state saved
   • Return to auth menu

Encryption Design (XOR)

How it works:

• File bytes are XOR-ed with a repeating key
• Same function used for encryption & decryption
• Binary-safe implementation

Build & Run Instructions

Requirements

• g++ (C++17 or later)
• MinGW (Windows) or GCC (Linux)

Compile

g++ src/main/*.cpp src/ui/*.cpp src/utils/*.cpp src/managers/*.cpp -Iinclude/utils/ -Iinclude/ui/ -Iinclude/libs/ -Iinclude/managers/ -o CipherSafe

Run (cmd)

CipherSafe.exe

Run (powershell)

.\CipherSafe

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Built for fun, engineered for learning, encrypted for practice. 💾 Because your secrets deserve CipherSafe. 🛡️

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© 2026 Open Source Project | CipherSafe - Secure File Locker | MIT License