Patent ID: 7669060

Claim:
A data processing apparatus which receives and stores data into a data storage section, performs an output process and a protection process on data stored in said data storage section, and executes verification at a time of accepting setting about said protection process by using default verification data stored in a verification data storage section or verification data changed from said default verification data and stored in said verification data storage section, and comprises: decision means for deciding whether verification data stored in said verification data storage section has been changed from default verification data or not; and protection control means for permitting execution of said protection process when verification data is changed from said default verification data, inhibiting execution of said protection process when verification data has not been changed from default verification data, according to a result of a decision made by said decision means, wherein the protection control means, when the verification data is changed from default verification data, enables a setting to execute erasure of all data stored in the data storage section every time the data processing apparatus is powered on, wherein the protection control means, when the verification data is not changed from default verification data, does not enable a setting to execute erasure of all data stored in the data storage section every time the data processing apparatus is powered on, and wherein said protection process is an overwrite erasure process wherein the data stored into the data storage section is overwritten with data to erase the stored data.