Communication system, reader/writer, authentication method, and computer program

摘要

Disclosed is a reader/writer that reads or writes information from or in an IC module, in which one or more applications are loaded, in response to an instruction issued from a controller in which counter-applications compatible with the applications are loaded includes: a memory in which one or more pieces of IC access authentication information that are associated with the applications in the IC module and that are used to authenticate the associated applications respectively are stored and in which pieces of group authentication information are stored in association with groups into which the pieces of IC access authentication information are sorted according to the applications; and a control unit that authenticates a counter-application using group authentication information and that, if the authentication succeeds, permits the counter-application to use IC access authentication information belonging to a group identified with the group authentication information used for the successful authentication.