SHIELDING A SENSITIVE FILE

An apparatus for shielding a sensitive file includes a client computer having various units. An encryption-decryption unit performs a cryptographic operation on the sensitive file with a cryptographic key, which corresponds to the encryption key ID. An encryption key ID is associated with the sensitive file. A key storing unit stores the cryptographic key. A compliance requirements storing unit stores security compliance requirements from the server computer, which define a plurality of compliant operating conditions of the client computer. A security requirements monitoring unit determines whether the client computer complies with the security compliance requirements in response to a file access instruction for the sensitive file by application software, and passes the cryptographic key from the key storing unit to the encryption-decryption unit in response to a determination that the client computer complies with the security compliance requirements.