Patent ID: 6952775

Claim:
An electronic authentication method of identifying a user who is going to use a recording medium having stored therein information for making use of any kind of computerized service, said electronic authentication method comprising: a step of comparing authentication information input by the user with authentication information recorded on the recording medium; a step of judging, based on the authentication information input by the user and an authentication level table, having a plurality of entries each relating authentication information and an authentication level, whether to continue carrying out authentication of the user by comparing said authentication information input by the user or the authentication information recorded on said recording medium with registered authentication information existing in a hub of a network to provide the service to be used; and a step of if it is judged to continue carrying out authentication, carrying out authentication of the user by comparing said authentication information input by the user or the authentication information recorded on said recording medium with said registered authentication information existing in the hub of the network to provide the service.