A set of configuration memory locations store configuration data for a microcontroller unit. A hardware monitoring module is coupled by an interconnection bus to the configuration memory locations. The hardware monitoring module reads from an instruction memory a command including an address of a target memory location in the set of configuration memory locations. Data is read from the target memory location corresponding to the address read and a checksum value is computed as a function of the data that is read from the target memory location. The computed checksum value is then compared to a respective expected checksum value stored in a checksum storage unit. An alarm signal is triggered in response to a mismatch detected between the computed checksum value and the respective expected checksum value.