diff --git a/include/ndn-cpp/security/identity/private-key-storage.hpp b/include/ndn-cpp/security/identity/private-key-storage.hpp
new file mode 100644
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+++ b/include/ndn-cpp/security/identity/private-key-storage.hpp
@@ -0,0 +1,117 @@
+/* -*- Mode:C++; c-file-style:"gnu"; indent-tabs-mode:nil -*- */
+/**
+ * Copyright (C) 2013 Regents of the University of California.
+ * @author: Yingdi Yu <yingdi@cs.ucla.edu>
+ * @author: Jeff Thompson <jefft0@remap.ucla.edu>
+ * See COPYING for copyright and distribution information.
+ */
+
+#ifndef NDN_PRIVATE_KEY_STORAGE_HPP
+#define	NDN_PRIVATE_KEY_STORAGE_HPP
+
+#include <string>
+#include "../../util/blob.hpp"
+#include "../certificate/public-key.hpp"
+#include "../security-common.hpp"
+#include "../../name.hpp"
+
+namespace ndn {
+
+class PrivateKeyStorage {
+public:
+  /**
+   * The virtual destructor.
+   */    
+  virtual 
+  ~PrivateKeyStorage() {}
+
+  /**
+   * Generate a pair of asymmetric keys.
+   * @param keyName The name of the key pair.
+   * @param keyType The type of the key pair, e.g. KEY_TYPE_RSA.
+   * @param keySize The size of the key pair.
+   */
+  virtual void 
+  generateKeyPair(const Name& keyName, KeyType keyType = KEY_TYPE_RSA, int keySize = 2048) = 0;
+
+  /**
+   * Get the public key
+   * @param keyName The name of public key.
+   * @return The public key.
+   */
+  virtual ptr_lib::shared_ptr<PublicKey> 
+  getPublicKey(const Name& keyName) = 0;
+  
+  /**
+   * Fetch the private key for keyName and sign the data, returning a signature Blob.
+   * @param data Pointer to the input byte array.
+   * @param dataLength The length of data.
+   * @param keyName The name of the signing key.
+   * @param digestAlgorithm the digest algorithm.
+   * @return The signature, or a null pointer if signing fails.
+   */  
+  virtual Blob 
+  sign(const uint8_t *data, size_t dataLength, const Name& keyName, DigestAlgorithm digestAlgorithm = DIGEST_ALGORITHM_SHA256) = 0;
+    
+  Blob 
+  sign(const Blob& data, const Name& keyName, DigestAlgorithm digestAlgorithm = DIGEST_ALGORITHM_SHA256)
+  {
+    sign(data.buf(), data.size(), keyName, digestAlgorithm);
+  }
+  
+  /**
+   * Decrypt data.
+   * @param keyName The name of the decrypting key.
+   * @param data The byte to be decrypted.
+   * @param dataLength the length of data.
+   * @param isSymmetric If true symmetric encryption is used, otherwise asymmetric decryption is used.
+   * @return The decrypted data.
+   */
+  virtual Blob 
+  decrypt(const Name& keyName, const uint8_t* data, size_t dataLength, bool isSymmetric = false) = 0;
+
+  Blob 
+  decrypt(const Name& keyName, const Blob& data, bool isSymmetric = false)
+  {
+    decrypt(keyName, data.buf(), data.size(), isSymmetric);
+  }
+
+  /**
+   * Encrypt data.
+   * @param keyName The name of the encrypting key.
+   * @param data The byte to be encrypted.
+   * @param dataLength the length of data.
+   * @param isSymmetric If true symmetric encryption is used, otherwise asymmetric decryption is used.
+   * @return The encrypted data.
+   */
+  virtual Blob
+  encrypt(const Name& keyName, const uint8_t* data, size_t dataLength, bool isSymmetric = false) = 0;
+
+  Blob
+  encrypt(const Name& keyName, const Blob& data, bool isSymmetric = false)
+  {
+    encrypt(keyName, data.buf(), data.size(), isSymmetric);
+  }
+
+  /**
+   * @brief Generate a symmetric key.
+   * @param keyName The name of the key.
+   * @param keyType The type of the key, e.g. KEY_TYPE_AES.
+   * @param keySize The size of the key.
+   */
+  virtual void 
+  generateKey(const Name& keyName, KeyType keyType = KEY_TYPE_AES, int keySize = 256) = 0;
+
+  /**
+   * Check if a particular key exists.
+   * @param keyName The name of the key.
+   * @param keyClass The class of the key, e.g. KEY_CLASS_PUBLIC, KEY_CLASS_PRIVATE, or KEY_CLASS_SYMMETRIC.
+   * @return True if the key exists, otherwise false.
+   */
+  virtual bool
+  doesKeyExist(const Name& keyName, KeyClass keyClass) = 0;  
+};
+
+}
+
+#endif