The present invention relates to an information processing apparatus that
allows separately forming regions having different roles. When an area
definition region #0100h is newly formed under an area definition region
#0000h that is formed on an IC card, information of the area definition
region #0100h is encrypted using a service key stored in an area
registration service definition region #0020h that is formed in advance,
and the encrypted information is supplied to the IC card. Upon receiving
that information, the IC card decrypts the encrypted information using
the service key stored in the area registration service definition region
#0020h. Then, the area definition region #0100h is formed based on the
result of decryption. The present invention may be applied to an IC card
that exchanges information in a non-contact manner and to an apparatus
that exchanges data with the IC card.