Authentication of Integrated Circuits

A method for authenticating an integrated circuit is provided. At an intellectual property facility, a random encryption key and a number of random input vectors are generated. For each input vector, the input vector is encrypted, based on the encryption key, to generate a corresponding output vector, and the input vector and the corresponding output vector are formed into an authentication vector pair. The encryption key is embedded into hardware description language instructions that define an integrated circuit that includes a cryptography engine. A number of authentication vector pairs is transmitted, via a secure communication link, to a semiconductor assembly and test facility. An input vector of an authentication vector pair is presented to the integrated circuit, which encrypts the input vector using the embedded encryption key. If the result matches the output vector of the authentication vector pair, the integrated circuit is determined to be authentic.