After a lengthy development period, secure internet startup MaidSafe has begun alpha testing elements of its the Secure Access For Everyone (Safe) Network, a proposed distributed peer-to-peer network that the founders believe will be a game changer for internet security.

The theory behind MaidSafe’s network states that by encrypting and obfuscating user data – and then scattering it at random across a decentralised, anonymous platform – there is no central point of weakness and less need for the massive server farms that make up the backbone of the internet.

As a result of this, the internet becomes more free, safe and secure for its users.

The alpha network has not yet established full decentralisation, said Nick Lambert, MaidSafe chief operating officer. It is currently being run on industry standard servers in a number of datacentres so MaidSafe can control uptime and bandwidth or test features, for example.

Users will get the ability to use their own compute and data storage capabilities – in MaidSafe parlance this is called their “vault” – later on in the process.

“Our intent is to move towards decentralisation in the next couple of months as the network becomes more efficient,” said Lambert.

“Our hope for the second phase of the alpha test is to have one network in part provided by us in datacentres and in part by users contributing their own resource.”

For now, users have the ability to test out a limited number of key features of the Safe Network, including a secure sandbox to create credentials and log in.

It also has a development app for users to create their own website and host existing sites on the Safe network, as well as explore what applications and functionality might come along in the future.