There is disclosed a method for switching access folders in accordance with a confidential mode. In this method, a confidential root directory is located below a normal root directory. A directory structure constituted by the at least one confidential folder other than a confidential root directory is the same as that constituted by at least one normal folder other than a normal root directory. A file access request from an application program to a disk device is received. If the application program is operating as a process in a confidential mode, file access to the confidential file in the confidential folder is executed through a kernel, by rewriting a specified file path name with a file path name corresponding to the confidential folder below the confidential root directory. If the application program is operating as a process in the normal mode, file access to the confidential file in the confidential folder is not permitted.