Frame transmission source authentication is performed among terminals
involved in delivery in a wireless adhoc communication system. A first
terminal generates a keyed hashed value by using an authentication header
key determined with respect to a second terminal, and gives it to an
authentication header of a frame. The second terminal generates a keyed
hashed value by using the authentication header key determined with
respect to the first terminal, and compares it with the authentication
header given to the frame. If the keyed hashed value generated at the
second terminal matches the authentication header, it is confirmed that
the frame has been transmitted from the first authenticated valid
terminal. The first terminal encrypts a payload part by using a unicast
encryption key determined with respect to a third terminal. This
encrypted payload part can be decrypted only by the third terminal having
the unicast encryption key.