Patent ID: 8516248

Claim:
A communication apparatus comprising: a first storage configured to store a plurality of addresses of a plurality of first communication apparatuses; a second storage in which setting information corresponding to a selection result is stored; and a processor configured to execute computer readable instructions to provide: an acquiring unit configured to acquire a self-public key; a specifying unit configured to specify an address of at least one of the plurality of first communication apparatuses stored in the first storage when the self-public key is acquired; a first public key sending unit configured to send the self-public key to the address of the at least one of the plurality of first communication apparatuses specified by the specifying unit; a command receiving unit configured to receive a command inquiring whether or not data can be communicated using a public key; a response sending unit configured to send a response indicating whether or not the communication apparatus can communicate data using a public key to a second communication apparatus, which is a sending source of the command when the command is received; a public key receiving unit configured to receive a public key from the second communication apparatus sent from the second communication apparatus according to the response indicating that the self-communication apparatus can communicate data using the public key; a first selective permission unit configured to allow a user to select whether or not the communication apparatus communicates data using the public key; and a first decision unit configured to determine whether or not setting information stored in the second storage corresponds to a positive selection result in the first selective permission unit when the command is received, wherein the response sending unit sends a response indicating that the communication apparatus can communicate data using a public key when a positive decision is made by the first decision unit.