| 摘要 |
PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an authentication method and system that can authenticate a public key to encrypt communication contents, through the use of the public key system encryption with high reliability and to reduce authentication cost. SOLUTION: In an organization 200, an internet facsimile terminal 201 of a department manager possessing a certificate adds a digital signature, including certificate possession information to a public key of the internet facsimile equipment 202, 203 of subordinates A, B which are under a department manager who does not have the certificate issued from an authentication station 220, in the case that a public key user who is not acquainted with any of the organization 200 utilizes the public key of the subordinate A, the user acquires the public key of the subordinate B to which digital signatures are given via a network, acquires the public key of the department manager, to which the certificate is added from the certificate possession information added to the digital signatures, allows the authentication station to authenticate the acquired public key, and uses the authenticated public key to verify the digital signature of the department manager added to the public key of the subordinate A and to authenticate the public key of the subordinate A. |
