A cryptographic communication method is provided in which a cryptographic communication is performed by an easy operation even if both enciphered data and unenciphered data are mixed to be handled. In the transmission side, a communication key is used for enciphering data to be transmitted, and in the reception side the same communication key as in the transmission side is used for decoding received data. In the transmission side, an individual key that is different from the communication key is used for enciphering the data to be transmitted, the enciphered data are decoded by using the individual key first, and then the decoded data are enciphered by using the communication key so that the enciphered file can be transmitted.