Computer Reliability

Work: Text

The Matrix is a simulated virtual construct of the world, created by A.I. in order for the machines to sustain themselves. Since humans produce more bio-electricity than a 120V battery and 25,000 BTU of body heat, the machines created the simulation as a means to collect this fusion energy. This system was built to be a reliable form of energy producing technology, but is revealed to have some flaws throughout The Matrix. These flaws include: the existence of communications between the real world (Morpheus) and the Matrix simulation (Neo), the proliferation of phone booth hard lines, Neo’s ability to erase Agent Smith, and the breakable laws of physics. Morpheus’ ability to call Trinity or Neo and speak to them from outside the Matrix is the first flaw in the Matrix system, as this flaw allows Morpheus to recruit more people against the machines. In addition, the ability for Morpheus’ team to travel in and out of the simulation is a flaw in the system that allows Morpheus’ group to evade the machine radar by going to the real world. Neo’s ability to destroy Agent Smith in the simulation is a flaw that allows for the destruction of the Matrix line of defense. Finally, Neo’s ability to break the laws of physics within the Matrix takes away the agents’ advantage over the humans within the Matrix, allowing hackers to potentially destroy the agents.

In order to keep the simulation stable, the machines created a group of agents within the Matrix, which serve the purpose of an antivirus. These agents have a main function to eliminate any threats to the Matrix to ensure reliability of the simulation. They hunt down specific deviant individuals and are able to erase them inside the simulation, killing both their minds and their real life bodies. Agents have assistance from the Matrix code itself, which has access to the vision of normal citizens; this provides them the ability to monitor the Matrix in order to look for anomalies. Agent programming would be the equivalent of giving advanced antivirus software full access to your device. The agents are able to bend the laws of the simulation to their will, making them essentially invincible for any normal human in the Matrix. They also have the ability to resurrect from a different body once their current body gets damaged or destroyed.

A real world parallel to the flaws in the Matrix system are the flaws uncovered with Virtual Reality (VR) devices. At the Recon cybersecurity show in Montreal, researchers demonstrated that VR devices could be hacked through VR Chat (virtual chat room), the Steam VR platform (game page), and High Fidelity (open source VR system) [1]. While this hacking was just part of a demonstration, it still exposed multiple flaws with different systems of the VR technology including the communications platforms and game platforms it supports. In addition, Oculus Rift VR users reported a screen glitching flaw in 2019, where the VR system would flash and display a glitch-like pattern for a brief moment during use. This flaw had been plaguing the Oculus Rift community for three months as the company worked on a solution for the screen glitch [4]. While the real world is not at a Matrix level of simulation technology, the real world equivalent VR systems have flaws as well; futuristic technology, while being reliable in theory, is susceptible to flaws and errors when actually developed for widespread use.

A real world parallel to the agents within the Matrix are the antivirus systems that protect technological devices from viruses and other malware. Antivirus systems attempt to ensure computer reliability for the systems they guard. 82% of households report that they are using some form of antivirus software to protect their devices and technology [2]. However, like the agents in the simulation, real world VR antivirus makes some errors that lead to decreased VR reliability. According to the Steam application development team, certain antivirus programs report the Steam application or Steam supported games as trojan malware when these applications are actually legitimate. Antivirus software was preventing users from opening Steam or Steam games, as well as quarantining Steam game installation files [3]. Just as in The Matrix, antivirus systems like the agents may be unable to respond properly to certain situations. The Steam issues with the VR antivirus mirror the agents inability to respond to Neo in The Matrix.

References:

[1] Bradbury, Danny, “Researchers Hack VR Worlds”, (Sophos, 2019), https://nakedsecurity.sophos.com/2019/07/08/researchers-hack-vr-worlds/ (10/12/2021)

[2] Security.org, “Personal Antivirus Consumer Usage, Adoption & Shopping Study: 2021”, https://www.security.org/antivirus/antivirus-consumer-report-annual/ (10/12/2021)

[3] Steam Support, “Antivirus Software Reports Steam Games Are Malicious”, https://help.steampowered.com/en/faqs/view/5F3D-1477-AFF9-C4F3 (10/12/2021)

[4] Sutrich, Nick, “Oculus Working on a Fix for the Screen Glitch Bug on the Rift S”, (Android, Headlines, 2019), https://www.androidheadlines.com/2019/07/oculus-working-on-a-fix-for-the-screen-glitch-bug-on-the-rift-s.html (10/12/2021)