Duress

Duress is an open-source Android application in the System Tools category. It is designed for situations in which an Android user needs a defined response after entering a duress password at the lock screen. The application uses Android’s ACCESSIBILITY permission to listen for that password while the device remains locked.

When the configured password is detected, Duress provides two distinct response options. One option sends a broadcast message, while the other can initiate a device wipe. The broadcast-message response is a separate alternative to the wipe response, allowing the two actions to be treated independently.

The wipe response is optional and requires Android’s DEVICE_ADMIN permission. Duress does not work when Android is running in safe mode. The application has been tested on an Android 12 emulator, Google Pixel 4a and 5a phones running Android 12, and a Samsung Tab S8 running Android 12, without establishing compatibility with other devices or Android versions.

Duress is released as Free Open Source Software under the GPL-3 license, which makes its source available under that license. MirrorNest lists it as an Android System Tools download and stores a direct mirror of the official build. Before publication, MirrorNest scans the mirrored build for malware, providing catalog access to the official Android build while retaining its open-source licensing and platform-specific focus.