A group administration organization device admits a user device to an
authorized group by request and sends authority permission information to
the user device. The user device holds the authority permission
information received from the group administration organization device
and, on access, sends authority proof information created from the
authority permission information using a group signature scheme to a
service provider device as requested by it. The service provider device,
upon being accessed, requests the authority proof information and
verifies the authority proof information received from the user device in
accordance with the request on the basis of the group signature scheme.
When the verification result indicates validity, the service provider
device provides a service. Thus, there is no need for the service
provider to manage personal information of the user because the user
device proves to the service provider device using the group signature
scheme that it belongs to the authorized group.