Information security for agent‐based WWW medical information retrieval

Electronic information retrieval is becoming a necessity for most businesses, including medical practice. Agent technology promises to provide a facile means for intelligently searching the Internet. However, any agent or other electronic information placed onto the Internet poses a security risk. Encryption and firewalls are traditional methods for increasing Internet information security, but are these techniques sufficient to protect adequately electronic information carried by Internet agents? Need to know and partial information strategies are discussed as methods for improving information security for Internet agents.