Patent ID: 8867746

Claim:
A computer-implemented method for protecting a control device against manipulation, comprising: reading, by a processor, via a key switch a respective different one of sets of keys; assigning, by the processor, the different cryptographic functions each to the respective different one of the assigned sets of keys; and executing, by the processor, the different cryptographic functions each based on the one of the assigned sets of keys to decode data, wherein: an access to the sets of keys is encapsulated by the key switch, the key switch permanently assigns the cryptographic functions to their respective assigned keys, and the key switch is recorded in a first memory device that is physically separate from a second memory device in which the sets of keys are recorded, wherein: the key switch is set in the first memory device during a production of the control device and is not modifiable thereafter the first memory device is an OTP memory in which the key switch is set by fusing memory cells, and the second memory device is a ROM.