A method of operation of a device programming system comprising: storing or instantiating a primary key internally in a programming cryptographic chip of a device programming system, the primary key received from an initializing cryptographic chip in a security provisioning system; configuring an adapter cryptographic chip with the primary key, the adapter cryptographic chip on a particular socket adapter having destination sockets and an adapter identifier, wherein the particular socket adapter is one of a plurality of socket adapters of the device programming system, the primary key is securely stored in the adapter cryptographic chip, and the adapter identifier uniquely identifies the particular socket adapter; generating an assembly level challenge and sending the assembly level challenge to each socket adapter of the plurality of socket adapters; calculating a primary key hash based on the adapter identifier, the assembly level challenge and the primary key securely stored in the programming cryptographic chip of the device programming system, calculating an adapter hash based on the adapter identifier, the assembly level challenge and the primary key using the adapter cryptographic chip and the primary key securely stored in the adapter cryptographic chip; matching the primary key hash to the adapter hash to update an authentication token with the adapter identifier for authenticating the particular socket adapter on the device programming system; mounting programmable devices in the destination sockets of the particular socket adapter having the adapter identifier matching the authentication token; and loading an entire chip image into the programmable devices in the particular socket adapter based on the authentication token. storing or instantiating a primary key internally in a programming cryptographic chip of a device programming system, the primary key received from an initializing cryptographic chip in a security provisioning system; configuring an adapter cryptographic chip with the primary key, the adapter cryptographic chip on a particular socket adapter having destination sockets and an adapter identifier, wherein the particular socket adapter is one of a plurality of socket adapters of the device programming system, the primary key is securely stored in the adapter cryptographic chip, and the adapter identifier uniquely identifies the particular socket adapter; generating an assembly level challenge and sending the assembly level challenge to each socket adapter of the plurality of socket adapters; calculating a primary key hash based on the adapter identifier, the assembly level challenge and the primary key securely stored in the programming cryptographic chip of the device programming system, calculating an adapter hash based on the adapter identifier, the assembly level challenge and the primary key using the adapter cryptographic chip and the primary key securely stored in the adapter cryptographic chip; matching the primary key hash to the adapter hash to update an authentication token with the adapter identifier for authenticating the particular socket adapter on the device programming system; mounting programmable devices in the destination sockets of the particular socket adapter having the adapter identifier matching the authentication token; and loading an entire chip image into the programmable devices in the particular socket adapter based on the authentication token.