The object of the present invention is to provide a user authentication
apparatus that is easy for the user of a mobile wireless communication
terminal to use and that makes it possible to authenticate a user
reliably, and to provide a method of controlling this apparatus. After
authentication (S25) is performed based upon a user ID and password,
e-mail that has been made to include a temporary URL that is valid for a
fixed period of time is transmitted to a mobile station 11 (S30). The
mobile station 11 is authenticated by determining (S32) whether it has
accessed the temporary URL within the period of validity.