A system and method is provided that enables a processor to undergo RMA after being in a secured operating state, where the secure state includes hardware disabling of test access ports and debug ports during a boot process. The apparatus providing this computer security at power-on or boot-up may have at least two one-time programmable indicators, a bootstrap controller that controls at least two boot-time switches and reads the one-time programmable indicators, and a read only memory storing at least one instruction. The bootstrap controller calculates an operating state such as a secure state or RMA state based on the at least two one-time programmable indicators. The bootstrap controller then enables or disables an execution of the at least one instruction or enables or disables a hardware port based on the operating state. The bootstrap controller may provide switching between RMA and secure states via sequential one-time programming of indicators.