DuressDecoy: Protection Against Coercion
Overview
DuressDecoy: Protection Against Coercion is a clandestine shield against coercive threats, empowering Sovereign tier users with a duress PIN that triggers deceptive actions, such as accessing a secondary safe with benign data, to mislead attackers while safeguarding the primary safe. Unlike LifeSafe’s data erasure in the HighRisk tier, DuressDecoy focuses on strategic deception, ensuring sensitive information, cryptocurrency keys, confidential documents, or personal records, remains hidden in high-threat scenarios. This feature reinforces UnoLock’s zero-knowledge security model, delivering unmatched privacy and safety under duress.
How It Works
- Duress PIN Configuration: Users set a unique duress PIN, distinct from primary credentials, encrypted client-side with AES-256 GCM and stored securely in the vault’s keyring.
- Decoy Safe Access: Entering the duress PIN opens a secondary safe containing non-sensitive, plausible data, concealing the existence of the primary safe from attackers.
- Silent Alert Option: The duress PIN can trigger a silent alert to a trusted contact or system, discreetly signaling distress without alerting the coercer, customizable during setup.
- Zero-Knowledge Processing: All duress actions are executed client-side, ensuring UnoLock’s servers cannot detect PIN usage, preserving privacy with no traceable metadata.
Security Implications
- Coercion Deception: DuressDecoy misleads attackers by presenting a convincing secondary safe, protecting the primary safe’s sensitive data during coercive threats.
- Enhanced User Protection: Silent alerts or decoy actions provide proactive measures to mitigate risks, enhancing user safety in high-threat scenarios.
- Untraceable Privacy: Client-side execution and zero-knowledge design ensure duress PIN usage remains undetectable, safeguarding user privacy under scrutiny.
Use Cases
- Activists in Hostile Regions: Activists can use DuressDecoy to access a decoy safe with benign data if coerced, protecting protest plans or contacts stored in the primary safe.
- Corporate Security: Executives facing espionage attempts can trigger a silent alert to security teams while presenting a decoy safe, safeguarding trade secrets.
- Crypto Investors: Under threat, investors can open a secondary safe with fake wallet data, preserving their primary safe’s high-value cryptocurrency keys.
Why It Matters
DuressDecoy transforms coercion into an opportunity for deception, empowering Sovereign tier users to protect their data and safety with strategic misdirection. By offering a tailored defense distinct from LifeSafe’s erasure, it strengthens UnoLock’s commitment to user sovereignty and privacy in the face of extreme threats.
FAQs
How does DuressDecoy differ from LifeSafe?
DuressDecoy (Sovereign tier) triggers decoy actions like accessing a secondary safe to mislead attackers, while LifeSafe (HighRisk tier) irreversibly erases data for plausible deniability.
Can UnoLock detect when I use the duress PIN?
No, all duress actions are processed client-side in a zero-knowledge architecture, leaving no server-side metadata to indicate PIN usage.
What if I accidentally trigger the duress PIN?
Configurable decoy actions, such as secondary safe access, are reversible, and LockoutGuard recovery options can restore primary access if needed.
Compliance & Privacy Regulations
- GDPR & HIPAA Compliance: DuressDecoy supports GDPR and HIPAA by ensuring sensitive data remains hidden and duress actions are untraceable, maintaining user privacy during coercive scenarios.
Integration with Other Features
- Commitment to Anonymity and Data Privacy: Enhances DuressDecoy by ensuring no PII or metadata is collected, preserving anonymity during duress actions.
- FIDO2 Authentication with WebAuthn: Complements DuressDecoy by securing primary access with phishing-resistant authentication, maintaining vault integrity under coercion.
