Method and apparatus for authenticating components

A method and apparatus is provided for authenticating a component ( 450 ) for use in a device ( 100 ). The device ( 100 ) has a predetermined challenge and a predetermined response associated with the predetermined challenge stored in a memory ( 122 ). The method detects whether the component ( 450 ) has been coupled to the device ( 100 ). If the component ( 450 ) has been detected ( 206 ), the predetermined challenge is provided to the component ( 208 ). The device ( 450 ) then determines whether a component response has been received from the component within a predetermined response time ( 210 ). If a component response is received within the predetermined response time ( 210 ), it is compared to the predetermined response ( 212 ). The component is disabled ( 214 ) if either the component response is not received within the predetermined response time ( 210 ) or the component response is received within the predetermined response time ( 210 ) but the component response is not equivalent to the predetermined response ( 212 ). The component is enabled ( 216 ) if the component response is received within the predetermined response time ( 210 ) and the component response is equivalent to the predetermined response ( 212 ).