A recording apparatus, comprising: a write/read unit arranged to record data on and/or read data from an information storage medium comprising an access control area for storing access control information (500, 600) regarding a predetermined function; and a controller arranged to control the write/read unit to record the access control information (500, 600) comprising specific information (520, 620) and common information (510, 610), in the access control area, wherein the specific information (520, 620) is used in performing the predetermined function by a recording/reproducing apparatus capable of recognizing the predetermined function, and wherein the common information (510, 610) is used by a recording/reproducing apparatus incapable of recognizing the predetermined function to access the information storage medium, the common information (510, 610) comprising at least one value which is set according to a value in the specific information (520, 620), wherein the predetermined function is a write protection function, wherein the specific information (520, 620) is write protection state information, wherein the common information (510, 620) includes defect management area recordability information (512, 612), spare area recordability information (513, 613), and user data area recordability information (514, 614), and characterized in that: the defect management area recordability information (512, 612) comprises recordability information on the defect management area excluding a disk definition structure, the disk definition structure storing state information of the access control information. a write/read unit arranged to record data on and/or read data from an information storage medium comprising an access control area for storing access control information (500, 600) regarding a predetermined function; and a controller arranged to control the write/read unit to record the access control information (500, 600) comprising specific information (520, 620) and common information (510, 610), in the access control area, wherein the specific information (520, 620) is used in performing the predetermined function by a recording/reproducing apparatus capable of recognizing the predetermined function, and wherein the common information (510, 610) is used by a recording/reproducing apparatus incapable of recognizing the predetermined function to access the information storage medium, the common information (510, 610) comprising at least one value which is set according to a value in the specific information (520, 620), wherein the predetermined function is a write protection function, wherein the specific information (520, 620) is write protection state information, wherein the common information (510, 620) includes defect management area recordability information (512, 612), spare area recordability information (513, 613), and user data area recordability information (514, 614), and characterized in that: the defect management area recordability information (512, 612) comprises recordability information on the defect management area excluding a disk definition structure, the disk definition structure storing state information of the access control information.