Systems and methods are disclosed for using cryptographic techniques to configure data processing systems. A configuration manager cryptographically controls the configuration of a system by ensuring that only authorized users or applications can change the configuration. For example, requests to change configuration information may include authenticated and/or encrypted data. These cryptographic techniques are employed to enable and/or disable functions, features and capabilities of a system. For example, a system may be reconfigured to provide strong or weak encryption based on parameters in the configuration information.