diff --git a/ccnx/ccnx-cert.h b/ccnx/ccnx-cert.h
new file mode 100644
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+++ b/ccnx/ccnx-cert.h
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+/* -*- Mode: C++; c-file-style: "gnu"; indent-tabs-mode:nil -*- */
+/*
+ * Copyright (c) 2013 University of California, Los Angeles
+ *
+ * This program is free software; you can redistribute it and/or modify
+ * it under the terms of the GNU General Public License version 2 as
+ * published by the Free Software Foundation;
+ *
+ * This program is distributed in the hope that it will be useful,
+ * but WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of
+ * MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.  See the
+ * GNU General Public License for more details.
+ *
+ * You should have received a copy of the GNU General Public License
+ * along with this program; if not, write to the Free Software
+ * Foundation, Inc., 59 Temple Place, Suite 330, Boston, MA  02111-1307  USA
+ *
+ * Author: Zhenkai Zhu <zhenkai@cs.ucla.edu>
+ *         Alexander Afanasyev <alexander.afanasyev@ucla.edu>
+ */
+
+#ifndef CCNX_CERT_H
+#define CCNX_CERT_H
+
+#include "ccnx-common.h"
+#include "ccnx-name.h"
+#include "ccnx-pco.h"
+#include "hash-helper.h"
+#include <boost/shared_ptr.hpp>
+
+namespace Ccnx {
+
+class Cert
+{
+public:
+  enum VALIDITY
+  {
+    NOT_YET_VALID,
+    WITHIN_VALID_TIME_SPAN,
+    EXPIRED,
+    OTHER
+  };
+
+  Cert();
+  Cert(const PcoPtr &keyObject, const PcoPtr &metaObject);
+
+  void
+  updateMeta(const PcoPtr &metaObject);
+
+  Name
+  name() { return m_name; }
+
+  Bytes
+  raw() { return m_raw; }
+
+  Hash
+  keyDigest() { return m_hash; }
+
+  std::string
+  realworldID() { return m_meta.realworldID; }
+
+  std::string
+  affilication() { return m_meta.affiliation; }
+
+  VALIDITY
+  validity();
+
+private:
+  struct Meta
+  {
+    Meta(std::string id, std::string affi, time_t from, time_t to)
+      : realworldID(id)
+      , affiliation(affi)
+      , validFrom(from)
+      , validTo(to)
+    {
+    }
+    std::string realworldID;
+    std::string affiliation;
+    time_t validFrom;
+    time_t validTo;
+  };
+
+  Name m_name;
+  Hash m_hash; // publisherPublicKeyHash
+  Bytes m_raw;
+  Meta m_meta;
+};
+
+typedef boost::shared_ptr<Cert> CertPtr;
+
+}
+
+#endif // CCNX_CERT_H