'Completely Legal': GrapheneOS Pushes Back as Duress Password Case Proceeds
GrapheneOS said its operating system is fully legal and constitutionally protected, and that no law can require it to weaken security features. The statement came as the first U.S. prosecution tied to one of its features moves forward. The case involves Atlanta activist Samuel Tunick, charged under 18 U.S.C. § 2232 after allegedly entering a duress code that wiped his Google Pixel during a warrantless border search in January 2025. He has pleaded not guilty and could face up to five years in prison. His lawyer says officers could have sought a warrant but did not. Tunick says the case is meant to intimidate people into giving up data privacy. GrapheneOS says it cannot recover wiped key material or bypass encryption by design. The project added the duress PIN in 2024 specifically for scenarios like this.
