Decentralized storage must truly achieve privacy control, and the key lies in the coordination of three layers of protection.

**From encryption to a complete decentralized chain**

Files are first encrypted end-to-end with AES-256 before uploading, so even if storage nodes are fully exposed, the actual data remains unreadable. Walrus's cleverness is that it doesn't just hand over ciphertext to a single node, but uses erasure coding and RedStuff 2D encoding to split the ciphertext into multiple shards, dispersing them across the network. A single node only receives a fragment, making it impossible to reconstruct the plaintext. This "encrypt then disperse" design completely prevents the possibility of restoring the original data—even if some nodes fail, the system can recover data from other nodes, ensuring redundancy and privacy simultaneously.

**Permissions are controlled by the chain, not by individuals**

All operations require signing with the Sui wallet private key, placing the responsibility of identity verification on the blockchain. Furthermore, you can set fine-grained authorization rules for Storage Resources via smart contracts—who can access which resource, what actions they can perform, and expiration times—all enforced by code. This avoids the common issue in traditional storage where permissions, once granted, cannot be precisely revoked.

**Real-world dilemmas of privacy and compliance**

Honestly, metadata such as Blob ID, file size, upload time, and access policies are usually public on the chain. If you're storing truly sensitive content, relying solely on Walrus's distributed storage isn't enough; end-to-end encryption combined with minimal disclosure principles is necessary. Additionally, the inherently immutable nature of decentralized storage conflicts with certain legal rights like the "right to be forgotten." Walrus offers renewal and deletion management capabilities, but achieving truly compliant deletion requires balancing application-layer controls with legal frameworks.

**Key points for getting started**

Use dedicated wallets to isolate risks and implement the principle of least privilege. Enable TLS encryption for data transmission and set request rate limits to prevent abuse. Turn on detailed logging for post-incident audits and anomaly detection. Regularly run walrus self-checks to verify configuration status. Most importantly, key management must be handled locally—encrypt data before upload and securely store keys—this is the foundation of the entire scheme.