In an authentication apparatus 300, so as to confirm whether a user is legitimate in supplying key information to a resource 500, discernment information for identifying the user is caused to be input, and only in a case where this discernment information coincided with the stored discernment information of the user, the key information is supplied to the resource. Also, in causing the authentication apparatus 300 to register the discernment information of the user, the discernment information is caused to be input, this discernment information is collated with the discernment information registered in a key information management center 200, and in a case where it coincided, the authentication apparatus 300 is caused to register the discernment information. Further, in having caused the authentication apparatus 300 to register the discernment information, this legitimate discernment information is transmitted to the key information management center 200, the key information caused to correspond to the legitimate discernment information is transmitted to the authentication apparatus 300 from the key information management center 200, and the authentication apparatus 300 is caused to store the key information.