Abstract: Protecting circuit designs can include, in response to receiving a first encrypted public key, generating, using a hash circuit within the integrated circuit, a first hash of the first encrypted public key. The first hash can be compared with a second hash that was previously stored within a non-volatile memory of the integrated circuit. In response to determining that the first hash matches the second hash, the first encrypted public key is decrypted resulting in a first decrypted public key. A determination is made whether received configuration data for the device is authentic using the first decrypted public key.