An aerosol generating system has a vaporizer, and electrical circuitry configured to selectively activate and deactivate the vaporizer. The aerosol generating system further includes a signal emitter, a signal receiver and an authorization controller. The authorization controller is configured to emit probing signals via the signal emitter, to receive reflected response signals via the signal receiver, to compare a profile of the received reflected response signals with a predetermined response signal profile and to output, based on the comparison, an activation or deactivation signal to the electrical circuitry in order to control an operational state of the vaporizer.