Probability and consequences of living inside a computer simulation
This addresses philosophical and security implications of simulation theory for humanity, but it is incremental as it builds on prior work with new bounds and attacks.
The paper tackles the probability of our universe being a computer simulation, deriving a Drake-style equation and finding the probability is lower than previously reported, especially for recursive simulations. It also investigates eavesdropping from outside the simulation, introducing a general attack that can bypass quantum cryptography even with genuine quantum properties.
It is shown that under reasonable assumptions a Drake-style equation can be obtained for the probability that our universe is the result of a deliberate simulation. Evaluating loose bounds for certain terms in the equation shows that the probability is unlikely to be as high as previously reported in the literature, especially in a scenario where the simulations are recursive. Furthermore, we investigate the possibility of eavesdropping from the outside of such a simulation and introduce a general attack that can circumvent attempts at quantum cryptography inside the simulation, even if the quantum properties of the simulation are genuine.