Patent ID: 7707225

Claim:
An information processing apparatus configured to perform cryptographic processing in response to a request from a server transmitting encrypted information to control an integrated circuit chip, the information processing apparatus comprising: managing means for managing types of the cryptographic processing granted in accordance with requests, the managing means including means for determining whether a software application of the server should be granted access to a key for generating cryptographic information and access to predetermined cryptographic processing based on information contained in an access control list, the access control list including (1) key access information including a key identifier, a valid period for the key, and a type of cryptographic processing to be granted to the software application, (2) authentication information for the software application including application key information, a valid period for the software application, codes for authentication between the integrated circuit chip and the software application, and a cryptographic processing used, and (3) authentication information for operator access including operator key information, a valid period for the operator, and information indicating a content of access granted to the operator, wherein the valid period for the key, the valid period for the software application, and the valid period for the operator are separate and distinct data fields in the access control list; and output means for performing the predetermined cryptographic processing requested from the server, when the means for determining determines that the access to the requested predetermined cryptographic processing should be granted, to supply information concerning a result of the processing to the server as information to be transmitted to the integrated circuit chip to be controlled.