Information processing apparatus and computer product

An information processing apparatus having a communication section operable to communicate with a central apparatus via a communication line, and a storage control section operable to control writing onto, and reading from, a storage medium, the information processing apparatus comprising:

• a reception section which receives a control command transmitted from the central apparatus via the communication section;
• a process information acquisition section which, in the event that the control command received is a security command instructing an execution of a security process which disables information stored in the storage medium, acquires process information indicating information relating to the execution of the security process in the storage medium;
• a process information notification section which transmits the process information acquired to the central apparatus via the communication section;
• a security process execution section which, in the event that the control command received is the security command instructing the execution of the security process, executes the security process in the storage medium;
• a process status acquisition section which, in the event that the control command received is an inquiry command inquiring about the status of the execution of the security process by the security process execution section, acquires the status of the execution of the security process by the security process execution section;
• a process status notification section which transmits the security process execution status acquired to the central apparatus via the communication section;
• and
• a process completion notification section which, in the event that the execution of the security process by the security process execution section is completed, transmits the fact that the execution of the security process in the storage medium is completed to the central apparatus.