Disclosed is a system and method for tracing illegally copied contents on the basis of fingerprint. Purchaser information is inserted into digital contents that include image, audio or video data using a fingerprinting system when the digital contents are sold in the distribution process of the digital contents. If the contents purchaser has illegally copied and distributed the contents through the Internet or a P2P (Peer to Peer) server that is a file sharing server, the corresponding contents are searched for using a searcher and the corresponding purchaser is traced on the basis of fingerprint information inserted into the contents.