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DuressDecoy: Protection Against Coercion

Overview

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The DuressDecoy: Protection Against Coercion feature equips UnoLock CybVault users with a powerful defense against coercive threats by enabling a specialized duress PIN or key that, when used, triggers a decoy action, such as accessing a secondary safe or initiating a silent alert, while concealing the primary safe’s existence. Unlike the dual-pin system in Plausible Deniability, DuressDecoy is designed specifically for high-threat scenarios, offering proactive measures to mislead attackers or signal distress without revealing sensitive data, such as cryptocurrency keys, confidential documents, or personal records. This feature reinforces UnoLock’s zero-knowledge security model, ensuring user privacy and safety under extreme circumstances.

How It Works

  • Duress PIN or Key: Users configure a unique duress PIN or key during setup, distinct from their primary access credentials, which is encrypted client-side with AES-256 GCM.
  • Decoy Action: Entering the duress PIN/key triggers a predefined action, such as opening a secondary safe with non-sensitive data or sending a silent alert to a trusted contact, while keeping the primary safe hidden.
  • Zero-Knowledge Design: UnoLock’s servers cannot detect the use of a duress PIN/key, as all actions are processed client-side, ensuring no metadata reveals the feature’s activation.
  • Customizable Responses: Users can tailor duress actions, such as wiping specific data or locking the account temporarily, to suit their threat model, all managed securely within the client-side keyring.

Security Implications

  • Coercion Resistance: DuressDecoy allows users to respond to threats without compromising sensitive data, misleading attackers by presenting a decoy safe or action that appears legitimate.
  • Enhanced User Safety: Silent alerts or account lockdowns provide proactive measures to protect users under physical or legal coercion, reducing the risk of harm or data exposure.
  • Privacy Preservation: The zero-knowledge architecture ensures that duress actions remain undetectable to servers or third parties, safeguarding user privacy even in extreme scenarios.

Use Cases

  • High-Risk Individuals: Activists, journalists, or crypto investors in oppressive environments can use DuressDecoy to mislead coercers, protecting critical data like protest plans or wallet keys.
  • Corporate Espionage: Businesses can configure duress actions to lock sensitive safes or alert security teams if employees are coerced to access confidential records.
  • Personal Safety: Users facing immediate threats can trigger silent alerts to trusted contacts, ensuring help is summoned without alerting the coercer.

Why It Matters

In high-stakes environments where coercion, extortion, or physical threats are real risks, users need tools to protect both their data and personal safety. DuressDecoy goes beyond traditional security by offering a proactive, user-controlled mechanism to counter coercion while maintaining the appearance of compliance. This feature, as highlighted in discussions of UnoLock’s competitive edge, sets it apart from other secure storage solutions, strengthening its zero-knowledge architecture and providing critical protection for users in extreme circumstances.

FAQs

How is DuressDecoy different from Plausible Deniability?

DuressDecoy is tailored for coercion scenarios, offering proactive actions like silent alerts or decoy safes, while Plausible Deniability focuses on concealing primary safes with a dual-pin system for broader deniability.

Can attackers detect if I use the duress PIN?

No, UnoLock’s zero-knowledge design ensures that duress actions are processed client-side, with no server-side metadata to indicate the use of a duress PIN or key.

What happens if I accidentally use the duress PIN?

Users can configure duress actions to be reversible, such as accessing a decoy safe, and LockOutGuard recovery options can restore primary access if needed.

Compliance & Privacy Regulations

  • GDPR & HIPAA Compliance: DuressDecoy supports compliance with GDPR, HIPAA, and other regulations by ensuring that sensitive data remains protected and undetectable during coercion, maintaining user privacy.

Integration with Other Features

  • Plausible Deniability with Dual-Pin Safe System: Complements the dual-pin system by offering a specialized duress response for coercion, enhancing protection in high-threat scenarios.
  • LockOutGuard: Anti-Lockout Protection and Key Recovery: Integrates with recovery mechanisms to ensure users can regain primary access if a duress action is triggered accidentally, maintaining usability.