Abstract: To provide a microelectronic circuit arrangement (100) and a method for protecting at least one electronic component against illicit manipulation and/or unauthorized access, in which circuit arrangement (100) and method there are no opportunities for manipulation even during or in connection with the start-up procedure, it is proposed that there be arranged at least activating unit (Ai; i=1, 2, 3, 4, 5) for checking whether at least one activating condition is met and for activating at least one preventing unit (Vj; j=1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7) that is also associated with the circuit arrangement (100) and that is connected to the activating unit (Ai), by means of which preventing unit (Vj) the component (200) can be at least partly de-activated and/or at least partly destroyed in the event of illicit manipulation and/or unauthorized access.

Abstract: A control device is connected to at least one encryption/decryption device via at least one communication device. The control device is connected to a round key generator via at least one further communication device. The control device has at least one external key input, the at least one encryption/decryption device has at least one external data input and at least one external data output, and the at least one encryption/decryption device and the round key generator are decoupled from one another.