An image processing system comprises an image providing apparatus which
provides an image file, from which a digital watermark information can be
extracted by using a watermark key that includes an authentication
information which authenticates the image file provided by an valid
provider, and the watermark key of the image file; and an image utilizing
apparatus which extracts the digital watermark information from the image
file provided by the image providing apparatus using the watermark key
provided by the image providing apparatus, verifies whether the watermark
key has been tampered or not using the authentication information in the
watermark key, verifies whether the image file has been tampered or not
using the verified watermark key, and displays the verified image file.