AUTHENTICATION INFORMATION MANAGEMENT METHOD FOR DEVICE EMBEDDED WITH MICROPROCESSOR UNIT

Without modifying application programs in a smart card, data and functions of the application programs can be used by one authentication operation if an apparatus has an invented authentication information management function utilization part. Even if the apparatus not implemented with the invention can use the smart card in a similar manner to the conventional manner. An authentication information management program for managing information necessary for authentication of each application is introduced into the smart card. When each application is utilized, the authentication information management program acquires the application authentication information after an authentication request message from the application program is captured, and transmits the application authentication information to the application program. It is possible to realize a method of utilizing data and functions possessed by the application programs through one authentication operation.