A system and method of identifying a memory includes detecting defects in regions of the memory, comparing the detected defects with defects contained in a previously-created defect map associated with the memory and stored in another memory of a device accessing the memory, confirming the identity of the memory where a result of the comparison indicates the detected defects match defects contained in the previously-created defect map; and denying the identity of the memory where the result of the comparison indicates the detected defects do not match the defects contained in the previously-created defect map.