diff --git a/src/security/tpm/back-end.hpp b/src/security/tpm/back-end.hpp
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+++ b/src/security/tpm/back-end.hpp
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+/* -*- Mode:C++; c-file-style:"gnu"; indent-tabs-mode:nil; -*- */
+/**
+ * Copyright (c) 2013-2016 Regents of the University of California.
+ *
+ * This file is part of ndn-cxx library (NDN C++ library with eXperimental eXtensions).
+ *
+ * ndn-cxx library is free software: you can redistribute it and/or modify it under the
+ * terms of the GNU Lesser General Public License as published by the Free Software
+ * Foundation, either version 3 of the License, or (at your option) any later version.
+ *
+ * ndn-cxx library 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 Lesser General Public License for more details.
+ *
+ * You should have received copies of the GNU General Public License and GNU Lesser
+ * General Public License along with ndn-cxx, e.g., in COPYING.md file.  If not, see
+ * <http://www.gnu.org/licenses/>.
+ *
+ * See AUTHORS.md for complete list of ndn-cxx authors and contributors.
+ */
+
+#ifndef NDN_SECURITY_TPM_BACK_END_HPP
+#define NDN_SECURITY_TPM_BACK_END_HPP
+
+#include "../../common.hpp"
+#include "../../name.hpp"
+#include "../../encoding/buffer.hpp"
+#include "../key-params.hpp"
+
+namespace ndn {
+namespace security {
+namespace tpm {
+
+class KeyHandle;
+
+/**
+ * @brief Abstraction of Tpm back-end.
+ *
+ * This class provides KeyHandle to the front-end and other TPM management operations.
+ */
+class BackEnd : noncopyable
+{
+public:
+  class Error : public std::runtime_error
+  {
+  public:
+    explicit
+    Error(const std::string& what)
+      : std::runtime_error(what)
+    {
+    }
+  };
+
+public:
+  virtual
+  ~BackEnd();
+
+public: // key management
+  /**
+   * @return True if a key with name @p keyName exists in TPM.
+   */
+  bool
+  hasKey(const Name& keyName) const;
+
+  /**
+   * @return The handle of a key with name @p keyName, or nullptr if the key does not exist.
+   *
+   * Calling getKeyHandle multiple times with the same keyName will return different KeyHandle
+   * objects that all refer to the same key.
+   */
+  unique_ptr<KeyHandle>
+  getKeyHandle(const Name& keyName) const;
+
+  /**
+   * @brief Create key for @p identity according to @p params.
+   *
+   * The key name is set in the returned KeyHandle.
+   *
+   * @return The handle of the created key.
+   * @throws Tpm::Error if @p params is invalid
+   * @throws Error if the key cannot be created.
+   */
+  unique_ptr<KeyHandle>
+  createKey(const Name& identity, const KeyParams& params);
+
+  /**
+   * @brief Delete a key with name @p keyName.
+   *
+   * Continuing to use existing KeyHandles on a deleted key results in undefined behavior.
+   *
+   * @throws Error if the deletion fails.
+   */
+  void
+  deleteKey(const Name& keyName);
+
+  /**
+   * @return A private key with name @p keyName in encrypted PKCS #8 format using password @p pw
+   * @throws Error if the key does not exist
+   * @throws Error if the key cannot be exported, e.g., insufficient privilege
+   */
+  ConstBufferPtr
+  exportKey(const Name& keyName, const char* pw, size_t pwLen);
+
+  /**
+   * @brief Import a private key in encrypted PKCS #8 format
+   *
+   * @param keyName The name of imported private key
+   * @param pkcs8 Pointer to the key in encrypted PKCS #8 format
+   * @param pkcs8Len The size of the key in encrypted PKCS #8 format
+   * @param pw The password to decrypt the private key
+   * @param pwLen The length of the password
+   * @throws Error if import fails.
+   */
+  void
+  importKey(const Name& keyName, const uint8_t* pkcs8, size_t pkcs8Len, const char* pw, size_t pwLen);
+
+protected: // static helper method
+  /**
+   * @brief Set the key name in @p keyHandle according to @p identity and @p params
+   */
+  static void
+  setKeyName(KeyHandle& keyHandle, const Name& identity, const KeyParams& params);
+
+private: // pure virtual methods
+  /**
+   * @return True if a key with name @p keyName exists in TPM.
+   */
+  virtual bool
+  doHasKey(const Name& keyName) const = 0;
+
+  /**
+   * @return The handle of a key with name @p keyName, or nullptr if the key does not exist
+   */
+  virtual unique_ptr<KeyHandle>
+  doGetKeyHandle(const Name& keyName) const = 0;
+
+  /**
+   * @brief Create key for @p identityName according to @p params.
+   *
+   * The created key is named as: /<identityName>/[keyId]/KEY
+   * The key name is set in the returned KeyHandle.
+   *
+   * @return The handle of the created key.
+   * @throws Error when key cannot be created.
+   */
+  virtual unique_ptr<KeyHandle>
+  doCreateKey(const Name& identity, const KeyParams& params) = 0;
+
+  /**
+   * @brief Delete a key with name @p keyName.
+   *
+   * @throws Error if the deletion fails.
+   */
+  virtual void
+  doDeleteKey(const Name& keyName) = 0;
+
+  /**
+   * @return A private key with name @p keyName in encrypted PKCS #8 format using password @p pw
+   * @throws Error if the key cannot be exported, e.g., insufficient privilege
+   */
+  virtual ConstBufferPtr
+  doExportKey(const Name& keyName, const char* pw, size_t pwLen) = 0;
+
+  /**
+   * @brief Import a private key in encrypted PKCS #8 format using @p password
+   *
+   * @param keyName The name of imported private key
+   * @param pkcs8 Pointer to the key in PKCS #8 format
+   * @param pkcs8Len The size of the key in PKCS #8 format
+   * @param pw The password to decrypt the private key
+   * @param pwLen The length of the password
+   * @throws Error if import fails.
+   */
+  virtual void
+  doImportKey(const Name& keyName, const uint8_t* pkcs8, size_t pkcs8Len, const char* pw, size_t pwLen) = 0;
+};
+
+} // namespace tpm
+} // namespace security
+} // namespace ndn
+
+#endif // NDN_SECURITY_TPM_BACK_END_HPP