Patent ID: 8824673

Claim:
A management apparatus, comprising: a memory storing, after installation of software in a machine, first software identification of the software installed in the machine, wherein the memory further stores machine identification information of the machine in association with the first software identification information of the software installed in the machine; and a processor configured to compare second software identification information of the software installed in the machine with the first software identification information stored in the memory, and to determine whether unauthorized modification has been performed on the software installed in the machine based on results of the comparing, wherein the processor is further configured to: search for the machine identification information stored in the management apparatus in response to a request received from the machine; transmit to the machine, a reply indicating results of the search for the machine identification information; receive, from the machine, the second software identification information of the software installed in the machine when the reply transmitted to the machine indicates that the machine identification information is found in the management apparatus; and compare the second software identification information received from the machine with the first software identification information stored in the management apparatus.