A surgical instrument, comprising: a surgical stapling end effector having a receiving portion for removably receiving therein an interchangeable staple cartridge, said receiving portion having a communication connection; a handle connected to said end effector for actuating said end effector, said handle having: a controller (500, 2000) electrically connected to said communication connection and programmed to cryptographically authenticate the interchangeable staple cartridge when the interchangeable staple cartridge is seated in the end effector and, after authenticating, the interchangeable staple cartridge, permit the interchangeable staple cartridge to be used with the end effector; and a power source for powering the surgical instrument; and an interchangeable staple cartridge removably connected to said receiving portion and having a 1-wire first encryption device having a first secured memory electrically removably connected to said communication connection when at said receiving portion, wherein the 1-wire first encryption device: is powered by the power source through the one wire; receives data from and transmits data to the controller (500, 2000) through the one wire; and in the event of an operational failure of the interchangeable staple cartridge, stores data associated with the operational failure in the first secured memory; and a second encryption device having a second secured memory and provided at the controller (500, 2000) such that, in an encrypted exchange between the first and second encryption devices, an encrypted authentication algorithm is executed to authenticate the interchangeable staple cartridge. a surgical stapling end effector having a receiving portion for removably receiving therein an interchangeable staple cartridge, said receiving portion having a communication connection; a handle connected to said end effector for actuating said end effector, said handle having: a controller (500, 2000) electrically connected to said communication connection and programmed to cryptographically authenticate the interchangeable staple cartridge when the interchangeable staple cartridge is seated in the end effector and, after authenticating, the interchangeable staple cartridge, permit the interchangeable staple cartridge to be used with the end effector; and a power source for powering the surgical instrument; and a controller (500, 2000) electrically connected to said communication connection and programmed to cryptographically authenticate the interchangeable staple cartridge when the interchangeable staple cartridge is seated in the end effector and, after authenticating, the interchangeable staple cartridge, permit the interchangeable staple cartridge to be used with the end effector; and a power source for powering the surgical instrument; and an interchangeable staple cartridge removably connected to said receiving portion and having a 1-wire first encryption device having a first secured memory electrically removably connected to said communication connection when at said receiving portion, wherein the 1-wire first encryption device: is powered by the power source through the one wire; receives data from and transmits data to the controller (500, 2000) through the one wire; and in the event of an operational failure of the interchangeable staple cartridge, stores data associated with the operational failure in the first secured memory; and is powered by the power source through the one wire; receives data from and transmits data to the controller (500, 2000) through the one wire; and in the event of an operational failure of the interchangeable staple cartridge, stores data associated with the operational failure in the first secured memory; and a second encryption device having a second secured memory and provided at the controller (500, 2000) such that, in an encrypted exchange between the first and second encryption devices, an encrypted authentication algorithm is executed to authenticate the interchangeable staple cartridge.