Patent ID: 8732484

Claim:
An information processing apparatus including an encryption and decryption unit configured to encrypt and decrypt information by using a first value uniquely calculated from software including a plurality of programs; a memory unit configured to store the information encrypted by the encryption and decryption unit; and a processing unit configured to execute programs including a basic input/output system (BIOS) and a basic software package, the processing unit executing the basic software package comprising: a software updating unit configured to update the software; and an encryption information managing unit configured to decrypt the encrypted information by using the first value, encrypt again the decrypted information by using a second value which is changed based on the update of the software, wherein the BIOS, when executed by the processing unit upon startup of the apparatus, calculates a hash value of the BIOS itself and then the BIOS also calculates a hash value of the basic software package, the encryption and decryption unit registers the hash value of the BIOS and the hash value of the basic software package, as the first value in the startup process of the apparatus, the encryption and decryption unit performs the decrypting of the encrypted information, which was encrypted by using the first value in the memory unit after the hash value of the BIOS and the hash value of the basic software package were calculated and registered as the first value in the startup process of the apparatus, by using the hash value of the BIOS and the hash value of the basic software package registered by the encryption and decryption unit in the startup process of the apparatus.