the invention relates to a method for protecting at least one motor vehicle component against manipulation in a control device , which comprises at least one microcomputer and at least one memory module , characterized in that the microcomputer reads out a specific original identifier of at least one memory module from the memory module and stores it . furthermore the invention relates to a control device for a motor vehicle component which comprises at least one microcomputer and at least one memory module , characterized in that at least one memory module has at least one specific identifier and the microcomputer has at least one area in which at least one specific original identifier is stored .