A method for initializing a process for securely controlling a production facility, comprising: - electronically receiving configuration data for a production run from an electronic data store; - electronically storing the configuration data for the production run, wherein the configuration data for the production run specifies parameters used in the production of products; - transmitting the configuration data for the production run to an authorization module; - at the authorization module, determining whether the production run is authorized; - receiving configuration data at a production machine and producing products in a production run according to the configuration data; characterized by: - at the authorization module, if the production run is authorized, generating a security token and associating the token with the configuration data and generating validated configuration data comprising an encryption key, a representation of a plurality of authorized product identifiers, and the security token; transmitting the validated configuration data to a signature module; and at the signature module, digitally signing the validated configuration data by generating a digital signature with the configuration data and associating the digital signature with the configuration data, the method being further characterized by: the configuration data received at the production machine being digitally signed and the digital signature being received at the production machine; at the production machine, verifying the digital signature associated with the digitally signed configuration data; and calculating a set of secure product identifiers based on the digitally signed configuration data; and the method being further characterized by: the products being produced according to the digitally signed configuration data; and printing the set of secure product identifiers on the products according to the digitally signed configuration data. - electronically receiving configuration data for a production run from an electronic data store; - electronically storing the configuration data for the production run, wherein the configuration data for the production run specifies parameters used in the production of products; - transmitting the configuration data for the production run to an authorization module; - at the authorization module, determining whether the production run is authorized; - receiving configuration data at a production machine and producing products in a production run according to the configuration data; - at the authorization module, if the production run is authorized, generating a security token and associating the token with the configuration data and generating validated configuration data comprising an encryption key, a representation of a plurality of authorized product identifiers, and the security token; the configuration data received at the production machine being digitally signed and the digital signature being received at the production machine; at the production machine, verifying the digital signature associated with the digitally signed configuration data; and calculating a set of secure product identifiers based on the digitally signed configuration data; and the products being produced according to the digitally signed configuration data; and printing the set of secure product identifiers on the products according to the digitally signed configuration data.