Patent ID: 7783886

Claim:
An integrated circuit configured to: run a boot program that verifies programs before said programs can be loaded onto, or run by, the integrated circuit by verifying whether said programs are signed with a boot key; verify, with the boot program, a developmental boot program signed with the boot key which verifies developmental programs before said developmental programs can be loaded onto, or run by, the integrated circuit by verifying whether the integrated circuit has a predetermined integrated circuit identifier; and load the verified developmental boot program and run the loaded developmental booth program thereby enabling loading or running of said developmental programs on the integrated circuit if the integrated circuit has the predetermined integrated circuit identifier, and programmed with program code configured to: receive software data and a digital signature of the software data generate a first digest from the software data; and compare the first digest against a second digest obtained via the digital signature that accompanied the received software data, wherein the program is considered valid when the first and second digests match.