System Architecture

Protocol stack built for
cryptographic certainty

Every layer of Legacy Vault Protocol is purpose-designed. From identity assurance to immutable audit anchoring — no hand-wavy security claims.

Protocol Layers

How the stack flows

Identity Layer

W3C DID + Verifiable Credentials · NIST SP 800-63-4 IAL 2/3 · owner, executor, attorney, guardian, beneficiary, auditor

Vault Manifest

SHA-256 hashed asset manifest · versioned · signed by owner key · tamper-detectable

Private IPFS Storage

AES-256-GCM encrypted blobs · content-addressed CIDs · server never holds plaintext

Blockchain Registry

Private chain anchoring · vault state · manifest hashes · audit events immutably recorded

Release Engine

5-condition multi-proof release · death certificate · attorney attestation · guardian quorum · waiting period

Beneficiary Access

Scoped credential release · executor-mediated · audit-logged · dispute-capable

Tech Stack

Frontend	Next.js 15 (App Router) · TypeScript 5 · Tailwind CSS 3.4
Database	PostgreSQL 15 · Prisma 5.22 (library engine)
Encryption	AES-256-GCM · Node.js crypto · SHA-256 manifest hashing
Storage	Private IPFS (helia/kubo) — mock adapter in dev
Chain Registry	Private JSON-RPC node — mock adapter in dev
Identity	W3C DID · Verifiable Credentials 2.0 · NIST SP 800-63-4
Testing	Vitest 2.1 (33 tests) · Playwright smoke suite
Layer 0	Legacy Layer 0 — Rust protocol scaffold (planned)

Transparency

Implemented

Mock / Adapter

Planned / Layer 0