A device and method is provided for commonly and securely allowing, as
access control on a memory card, a plurality of information processing
apparatuses to lock/unlock the memory. On the basis of a lock command
input from an information processing apparatus serving as a host, such as
a PC, an information storage device, such as a memory card, determines
whether (a) a standard lock key set serving as a key set prohibiting
output or (b) an export lock key set serving as a key set permitting
output is detected and stores corresponding key set information. Only
when the export lock key set is detected, output is permitted provided
that predetermined verification succeeds.