An information recording/playback device stores beforehand, on a recording medium, secret information in which a writing/reading method thereof cannot be analyzed and which can be read only by a special reading method. The secret information is applied to a key for content encryption or decryption when performing recording or playback of contents on the recording medium, such as music data and image data. The secret information is, for example, a stamper ID. By using the stamper ID as secret information, and a master key and a media key which are distributed in a tree-structure key-distribution system, a content-cryptosystem key is generated. Accordingly, each content is allowed to be used in only an appropriate device in which the special reading method for the secret information can be executed and to which the key is distributed by the tree-structure key-distribution system.