A method of dynamic authentication configuration adjusts authentication configuration according to traffic patterns within a system, such as a cellular communications network. In a network, mobile devices are authenticated based on various events, such as an attach, location update, originated call, etc. According to a first embodiment, one or more authentication configuration profiles is defined for a VLR/SGSN and a time schedule/table to automatically update the authentication configurations based on a time. Accordingly, the number of authentications for a particular VLR is reduced as signaling traffic increases, and vice versa. In another exemplary embodiment, an HLR monitors system level traffic load to command each VLR and SGSN to change the authentication configurations. Authentication operations are preferably configured on per node and per traffic pattern basis.