A method for the secure application of a cryptographic algorithm of the RSA type in an electronic component obtains the value of a public exponent e from a given set of probable values, without a priori knowledge of that value. Having determined the value for the public exponent e, the application of countermeasures using the value of e, to block error attacks and side channel attacks, particularly of the DPA and SPA type, are carried out on the application of a private operation of the cryptographic algorithm.