Method and device for setting basic means of access for operation of electronically operated devices (12), with the aid of a possibly transferable personal authentication system (16), essentially based on three components used in the course of the method in accordance with the invention; namely additional device hardware functions permitting means of access, namely in particular for custom configuration and shutdown of the devices; a hardware-oriented interface to a reader device (18) for the authentication system (16) such as a SmartCard reader permitting access to the functions by a SmartCard (16); and the authentication system (16) itself, capable of directly accessing the configuration and/or shutdown/startup/restart functions of the device hardware by way of the defined interface.Legitimization for configuration/shutdown and startup/restart of the devices is provided by matching of keys stored on the SmartCard (16) and in a ROM (14) in the device (12).