US Patent 8726407 Authentication of computing and communications hardware

A method for authenticating a computing device or hardware component includes computer-implemented process steps for assigning a unique identifier to the hardware component, generating a baseline fingerprint for the hardware component using algorithm-processing characteristic configuration data determined from the hardware component as input, wherein the baseline fingerprint is capable of being regenerated from the hardware component so long as configuration of the hardware component is not changed, transmitting the identifier in association with the baseline fingerprint for storage in a computer-readable data structure, and generating a data signal, in response to a query comprising the assigned identifier, indicating whether the stored baseline fingerprint for the assigned identifier matches a second fingerprint regenerated from the hardware component at a time after the baseline fingerprint is generated.