This invention relates to an information processing apparatus for permitting so-called grouping without recourse to group keys. A content server retains in advance certificates of devices subject to grouping. Each certificate contains a public key of the corresponding device. When providing a content, the content server authenticates the certificates of the grouped devices for which the content is destined (step S281), encrypts a content key by use of public keys of the authenticated certificates (step S283), and transmits the content key thus encrypted to each of the devices making up the group (step S284) together with the content. The inventive apparatus is applied to devices that provide contents.