System, apparatus, and method for inhibiting operation that modifies program configuration

摘要

An operation inhibiting system includes an image forming apparatus (20) in which programs are installed and an operation inhibition information providing apparatus (10), wherein the image forming apparatus (20) includes a configuration information storing unit (223) to store configuration information about the installed programs, an operation inhibition information acquiring unit (222) to transmit the configuration information to the operation inhibition information providing apparatus (10), and to receive operation inhibition information that is transmitted from the operation inhibition information providing apparatus (10) in response to the configuration information, the operation inhibition information indicating on a program-specific basis whether an operation to modify a configuration of an installed program is allowed, and an operation unit (221) to inhibit the operation on the program based on the received operation inhibition information, wherein the operation inhibition information providing apparatus (10) includes a unit (11) that transmits the operation inhibition information responsive to the configuration information upon receiving the configuration information.