IMAGE FILE MANAGEMENT APPARATUS AND IMAGE FILE MANAGEMENT METHOD

An image file management apparatus capable of managing image data and attribute information associated with the image data includes an image file storage unit configured to store an image file including the image data and one or more pieces of attribute information associated with the image data, an attribute information recording unit configured to record at least one attribute information among the one or more pieces of attribute information included in the image file stored by the image file storage unit in association with an identifier of the image data, an attribute information disabling unit configured to disable the at least one attribute information recorded by the attribute information recording unit, and an attribute information restoring unit configured to restore and enable the at least one attribute information disabled by the attribute information disabling unit with respect to the image data.