A disclosed image forming apparatus includes a validating unit validating a holder of an IC card having a first security information set, login information set and first identifier information set, based on the first security information set; a login unit performing a login process for the IC card holder to log in based on the login information set; and a storage unit storing the first security information set as a second security information set and the first identifier information set as a second identifier information set obtained when the login process performed is successful. In the image forming apparatus, the validating unit validates, provided that first identifier information set from the IC card matches the second identifier information set in the storage unit, the holder of the IC card by reusing the second security information set in the storage unit when the first security information is requested using the IC card.