Post #4175346

2026-07-28 21:27 UTC

There is a long running thread on the grapheneOS forums about having the panic mode log you in to a segmented off partition that looks like a fully plausible OS, doesn't wipe, but doesn't unlock the main storage. The concerns about being charged for destroying evidence are raised there iirc. The maintainer raised some technical challenges and why they aren't pursuing this, but I wonder if that changes now https://www.404media.co/the-government-hopes-to-set-a-precedent-an-interview-with-the-man-charged-for-allegedly-wiping-his-grapheneos-phone/

Replies (4)

@muddle@infosec.exchange 2026-07-28 23:35

@jonny@neuromatch.social deniable encryption isn't a panacea, either. (says the guy who set up an a/c to present a deniable encryption scheme). I think that the best form of pushback against this sort of overreach is for more "regular people" to get educated about the value of privacy and why encryption is something that can be used to defend that. If we can normalise the use of encryption and using it to mask our online activities, it makes life better for all of us. Sure, Some Bad People will also use encryption, but they're going to do it regardless. Go after the surveillance crowd (Meta, Flock, Data Brokers, the people making Pegasus and so on) rather than activists, journalists and normal people trying to protect themselves from unwarranted intrusion into their lives.

Open ##4176422
@nathan@mastodon.e4b4.eu 2026-07-28 23:58

@jonny@neuromatch.social from GrapheneOS' perspective, wouldn't that mean they lose much of the plausible excuse that duress codes aren't specifically meant to defeat border agents? idk, it would be a good feature to have as a user but Graphene is walking a fine line not to be outright criminalized by the exact people they mean to protect their users from. good luck to them in any case

Open ##4176945
@tranquil_cassowary@infosec.exchange 2026-07-29 00:23

@jonny@neuromatch.social There is no reason for the technical problems to disappear because of this case. Those problems remain.

Open ##4177633
@aspensmonster@tenforward.social 2026-07-28 22:07

@jonny@neuromatch.social I think we're fast approaching rubber-hose territory.

Open ##4186336