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 . <EOS>