An encryption information determination section in a communication device
negotiates an encryption algorithm to be used for encrypted
communications with an encryption information determination section in a
network camera, which is a communication counterpart. At this time, the
encryption algorithm to be selected is varied depending on the CPU load
of the communication device. That is, if the CPU utilization rate is
high, a low-load encryption algorithm is selected, and if the CPU
utilization rate is low, a high-load encryption algorithm is selected. A
encryption/decryption processing section performs code processing using
the encryption algorithm selected by the encryption information
determination section.