An automated banking machine (10, 70, 146) is operative to enable a plurality of authorized software components (80) to be selectively configured. The machine may be provided with either an authorization key (46, 72) or a configuration certificate (48, 150, 160) that is generated by a licensing authority (30, 62, 140). The machine is operative to authenticate the key or certificate prior to granting a user permission to configure the machine. The machine is operative to authenticate a configuration certificate by evaluating a digital signature (154, 190) associated with the configuration certificate. An authorization key may be authenticated by comparing it to a second authorization key generated responsive to a plurality of configuration parameters and one-way hash functions (92, 94). The key or certificate may be associated with a plurality of configuration rules (84, 152) which specify the configuration software components and parameters for specific ATM software and hardware.