Systems and methods are provided for authenticating an input device subsystem for operation with a host. One method includes storing a table comprising challenges and a plurality of values indicative of authentic responses to the plurality of challenges. A selected challenge is then communicated between the input device subsystem and the host. A challenge response is derived based on the selected challenge and a hashing algorithm, and the challenge response is communicated between the input device subsystem and the host. The challenge response and one or more of the values is used to determine whether the challenge response is authentic. Functionality of the input device subsystem with the host is selectively enabled if the challenge response is authentic.