A specialised architecture for embedding trust evaluation capabilities in intelligent mobile agents

M.Sc.(Computer Science)The dissertation investigates trust and reputation as a specialisation of agent technology. The research presented herein aims to establish and demonstrate how it is possible for one rational agent to trust another entity. Furthermore, the research presented herein aims to determine the extent of the limitations of trust and reputation models, and of the demonstrable solution in particular. To this end, the dissertation investigates theoretical aspects of trust. The dissertation investigates several existing trust models and establishes criteria for a qualitative analysis. Supplementary techniques aimed at enhancing trust evaluation are also investigated. The research also identifies architectural abstractions suitable for developing agents capable of intelligent trust evaluation. The main focus of the research is enhancing agent protection through a trust-based approach. A particular problem is the threats posed to mobile agents from malicious agent hosts. Therefore, a solution is sought that can be used to augment existing mechanisms aimed at mobile agent protection and agent protection in general. Thus, the research also examines mobile agents and mobile agent systems in an effort to produce a general trust-based solution that can be applied in most mobile agent systems. The solution presented in the dissertation proposes the concept of an evaluator agent as an add-on to existing mobile agent systems. The evaluator agent is presented as a rational agent with an embedded intelligent trust evaluation capability. The intelligent trust evaluation capability is provided via a set of reusable components. The solution demonstrates how a rational agent may evaluate the trustworthiness of other entities. The dissertation further analyses the strengths and limitations of the approach. The dissertation provides results that quantitatively demonstrate the extent of the limitations of the trust-based approach. The contribution of the dissertation partly lies in the service orientation of the evaluator agent approach. The service orientation of the solution provides an abstraction and a degree of heterogeneity suitable for handling the challenges of open environments. The solution can be deployed in most mobile agent systems to provide a trust evaluation service without the need to redesign existing mobile agent systems. More broadly, the research is another step towards the development of cognitive social agents