diff --git a/src/ca-module.cpp b/src/ca-module.cpp
index 98fb2ab..67b034b 100644
--- a/src/ca-module.cpp
+++ b/src/ca-module.cpp
@@ -19,7 +19,7 @@
  */
 
 #include "ca-module.hpp"
-#include "detail/crypto-helper.hpp"
+#include "detail/crypto-helpers.hpp"
 #include "identity-challenge/challenge-module.hpp"
 #include "name-assignment/assignment-func.hpp"
 #include "detail/challenge-encoder.hpp"
diff --git a/src/ca-module.hpp b/src/ca-module.hpp
index 0e6ea06..e1cedaf 100644
--- a/src/ca-module.hpp
+++ b/src/ca-module.hpp
@@ -22,7 +22,7 @@
 #define NDNCERT_CA_MODULE_HPP
 
 #include "configuration.hpp"
-#include "detail/crypto-helper.hpp"
+#include "detail/crypto-helpers.hpp"
 #include "detail/ca-storage.hpp"
 
 namespace ndn {
diff --git a/src/detail/crypto-helper.cpp b/src/detail/crypto-helpers.cpp
similarity index 84%
rename from src/detail/crypto-helper.cpp
rename to src/detail/crypto-helpers.cpp
index ae86796..2437d16 100644
--- a/src/detail/crypto-helper.cpp
+++ b/src/detail/crypto-helpers.cpp
@@ -18,27 +18,48 @@
  * See AUTHORS.md for complete list of ndncert authors and contributors.
  */
 
-#include "crypto-helper.hpp"
+#include "crypto-helpers.hpp"
+
+#include <boost/endian/conversion.hpp>
 #include <cmath>
-#include <openssl/err.h>
-#include <openssl/hmac.h>
-#include <openssl/pem.h>
-#include <openssl/ec.h>
-#include <openssl/evp.h>
-#include <openssl/kdf.h>
 #include <ndn-cxx/encoding/buffer-stream.hpp>
 #include <ndn-cxx/security/transform/base64-decode.hpp>
 #include <ndn-cxx/security/transform/base64-encode.hpp>
 #include <ndn-cxx/security/transform/buffer-source.hpp>
 #include <ndn-cxx/security/transform/stream-sink.hpp>
 #include <ndn-cxx/util/random.hpp>
-#include <boost/endian/conversion.hpp>
+#include <openssl/ec.h>
+#include <openssl/err.h>
+#include <openssl/evp.h>
+#include <openssl/hmac.h>
+#include <openssl/kdf.h>
+#include <openssl/pem.h>
 
 namespace ndn {
 namespace ndncert {
 
 struct ECDHState::ECDH_CTX
 {
+  ~ECDH_CTX()
+  {
+    // Contexts
+    if (ctx_params != nullptr) {
+      EVP_PKEY_CTX_free(ctx_params);
+    }
+    if (ctx_keygen != nullptr) {
+      EVP_PKEY_CTX_free(ctx_keygen);
+    }
+    // Keys
+    if (privkey != nullptr) {
+      EVP_PKEY_free(privkey);
+    }
+    if (peerkey != nullptr) {
+      EVP_PKEY_free(peerkey);
+    }
+    if (params != nullptr) {
+      EVP_PKEY_free(params);
+    }
+  }
   EVP_PKEY_CTX* ctx_params = nullptr;
   EVP_PKEY_CTX* ctx_keygen = nullptr;
   EVP_PKEY* privkey = nullptr;
@@ -47,88 +68,57 @@
 };
 
 ECDHState::ECDHState()
-  : m_publicKeyLen(0)
-  , m_sharedSecretLen(0)
 {
-  OpenSSL_add_all_algorithms();
   context = std::make_unique<ECDH_CTX>();
   auto EC_NID = NID_X9_62_prime256v1;
 
-  // Create the context for parameter generation
   if (nullptr == (context->ctx_params = EVP_PKEY_CTX_new_id(EVP_PKEY_EC, nullptr))) {
-    NDN_THROW(std::runtime_error("Could not create context contexts."));
+    NDN_THROW(std::runtime_error("Could not create context."));
   }
-
-  // Initialise the parameter generation
   if (EVP_PKEY_paramgen_init(context->ctx_params) != 1) {
+    context.reset();
     NDN_THROW(std::runtime_error("Could not initialize parameter generation."));
   }
-
-  // We're going to use the ANSI X9.62 Prime 256v1 curve
   if (1 != EVP_PKEY_CTX_set_ec_paramgen_curve_nid(context->ctx_params, EC_NID)) {
+    context.reset();
     NDN_THROW(std::runtime_error("Likely unknown elliptical curve ID specified."));
   }
-
-  // Create the parameter object params
   if (!EVP_PKEY_paramgen(context->ctx_params, &context->params)) {
-    // the generated key is written to context->params
+    context.reset();
     NDN_THROW(std::runtime_error("Could not create parameter object parameters."));
   }
-
-  // Create the context for the key generation
   if (nullptr == (context->ctx_keygen = EVP_PKEY_CTX_new(context->params, nullptr))) {
-    //The EVP_PKEY_CTX_new() function allocates public key algorithm context using
-    //the algorithm specified in pkey and ENGINE e (in this case nullptr).
+    context.reset();
     NDN_THROW(std::runtime_error("Could not create the context for the key generation"));
   }
-
-  // initializes a public key algorithm context
   if (1 != EVP_PKEY_keygen_init(context->ctx_keygen)) {
+    context.reset();
     NDN_THROW(std::runtime_error("Could not init context for key generation."));
   }
   if (1 != EVP_PKEY_keygen(context->ctx_keygen, &context->privkey)) {
-    //performs a key generation operation, the generated key is written to context->privkey.
+    context.reset();
     NDN_THROW(std::runtime_error("Could not generate DHE keys in final step"));
   }
 }
 
 ECDHState::~ECDHState()
-{
-  // Contexts
-  if (context->ctx_params != nullptr) {
-    EVP_PKEY_CTX_free(context->ctx_params);
-  }
-  if (context->ctx_keygen != nullptr) {
-    EVP_PKEY_CTX_free(context->ctx_keygen);
-  }
-
-  // Keys
-  if (context->privkey != nullptr) {
-    EVP_PKEY_free(context->privkey);
-  }
-  if (context->peerkey != nullptr) {
-    EVP_PKEY_free(context->peerkey);
-  }
-  if (context->params != nullptr) {
-    EVP_PKEY_free(context->params);
-  }
-}
+{}
 
 uint8_t*
 ECDHState::getRawSelfPubKey()
 {
   auto privECKey = EVP_PKEY_get1_EC_KEY(context->privkey);
-
   if (privECKey == nullptr) {
+    context.reset();
     NDN_THROW(std::runtime_error("Could not get key when calling EVP_PKEY_get1_EC_KEY()."));
   }
-
   auto ecPoint = EC_KEY_get0_public_key(privECKey);
   const EC_GROUP* group = EC_KEY_get0_group(privECKey);
   m_publicKeyLen = EC_POINT_point2oct(group, ecPoint, POINT_CONVERSION_COMPRESSED,
                                       m_publicKey, 256, nullptr);
   EC_KEY_free(privECKey);
   if (m_publicKeyLen == 0) {
+    context.reset();
     NDN_THROW(std::runtime_error("Could not convert EC_POINTS to octet string when calling EC_POINT_point2oct."));
   }
   return m_publicKey;
@@ -137,12 +127,11 @@
 std::string
 ECDHState::getBase64PubKey()
 {
-  namespace t = ndn::security::transform;
-
   if (m_publicKeyLen == 0) {
     this->getRawSelfPubKey();
   }
   std::ostringstream os;
+  namespace t = ndn::security::transform;
   t::bufferSource(m_publicKey, m_publicKeyLen) >> t::base64Encode(false) >> t::streamSink(os);
   return os.str();
 }
@@ -151,24 +140,24 @@
 ECDHState::deriveSecret(const uint8_t* peerkey, size_t peerKeySize)
 {
   auto privECKey = EVP_PKEY_get1_EC_KEY(context->privkey);
-
   if (privECKey == nullptr) {
+    context.reset();
     NDN_THROW(std::runtime_error("Could not get key when calling EVP_PKEY_get1_EC_KEY()"));
   }
-
   auto group = EC_KEY_get0_group(privECKey);
   auto peerPoint = EC_POINT_new(group);
   int result = EC_POINT_oct2point(group, peerPoint, peerkey, peerKeySize, nullptr);
   if (result == 0) {
     EC_POINT_free(peerPoint);
     EC_KEY_free(privECKey);
+    context.reset();
     NDN_THROW(std::runtime_error("Cannot convert peer's key into a EC point when calling EC_POINT_oct2point()"));
   }
-
   result = ECDH_compute_key(m_sharedSecret, 256, peerPoint, privECKey, nullptr);
   if (result == -1) {
     EC_POINT_free(peerPoint);
     EC_KEY_free(privECKey);
+    context.reset();
     NDN_THROW(std::runtime_error("Cannot generate ECDH secret when calling ECDH_compute_key()"));
   }
   m_sharedSecretLen = static_cast<size_t>(result);
@@ -181,11 +170,9 @@
 ECDHState::deriveSecret(const std::string& peerKeyStr)
 {
   namespace t = ndn::security::transform;
-
   OBufferStream os;
   t::bufferSource(peerKeyStr) >> t::base64Decode(false) >> t::streamSink(os);
   auto result = os.buf();
-
   return this->deriveSecret(result->data(), result->size());
 }
 
@@ -243,52 +230,39 @@
   EVP_CIPHER_CTX* ctx;
   int len;
   int ciphertext_len;
-
-  // Create and initialise the context
   if (!(ctx = EVP_CIPHER_CTX_new())) {
     NDN_THROW(std::runtime_error("Cannot create and initialise the context when calling EVP_CIPHER_CTX_new()"));
   }
-
-  // Initialise the encryption operation.
   if (1 != EVP_EncryptInit_ex(ctx, EVP_aes_128_gcm(), nullptr, nullptr, nullptr)) {
+    EVP_CIPHER_CTX_free(ctx);
     NDN_THROW(std::runtime_error("Cannot initialise the encryption operation when calling EVP_EncryptInit_ex()"));
   }
-
-  // Set IV length if default 12 bytes (96 bits) is not appropriate
   if (1 != EVP_CIPHER_CTX_ctrl(ctx, EVP_CTRL_GCM_SET_IVLEN, 12, nullptr)) {
+    EVP_CIPHER_CTX_free(ctx);
     NDN_THROW(std::runtime_error("Cannot set IV length when calling EVP_CIPHER_CTX_ctrl()"));
   }
-
-  // Initialise key and IV
   if (1 != EVP_EncryptInit_ex(ctx, nullptr, nullptr, key, iv)) {
+    EVP_CIPHER_CTX_free(ctx);
     NDN_THROW(std::runtime_error("Cannot initialize key and IV when calling EVP_EncryptInit_ex()"));
   }
-
-  // Provide any AAD data. This can be called zero or more times as required
   if (1 != EVP_EncryptUpdate(ctx, nullptr, &len, associated, associated_len)) {
+    EVP_CIPHER_CTX_free(ctx);
     NDN_THROW(std::runtime_error("Cannot set associated authentication data when calling EVP_EncryptUpdate()"));
   }
-
-  // Provide the message to be encrypted, and obtain the encrypted output.
-  // EVP_EncryptUpdate can be called multiple times if necessary
   if (1 != EVP_EncryptUpdate(ctx, ciphertext, &len, plaintext, plaintext_len)) {
+    EVP_CIPHER_CTX_free(ctx);
     NDN_THROW(std::runtime_error("Cannot encrypt when calling EVP_EncryptUpdate()"));
   }
   ciphertext_len = len;
-
-  // Finalise the encryption. Normally ciphertext bytes may be written at
-  // this stage, but this does not occur in GCM mode
   if (1 != EVP_EncryptFinal_ex(ctx, ciphertext + len, &len)) {
+    EVP_CIPHER_CTX_free(ctx);
     NDN_THROW(std::runtime_error("Cannot finalise the encryption when calling EVP_EncryptFinal_ex()"));
   }
   ciphertext_len += len;
-
-  // Get the tag
   if (1 != EVP_CIPHER_CTX_ctrl(ctx, EVP_CTRL_GCM_GET_TAG, 16, tag)) {
+    EVP_CIPHER_CTX_free(ctx);
     NDN_THROW(std::runtime_error("Cannot get tag when calling EVP_CIPHER_CTX_ctrl()"));
   }
-
-  // Clean up
   EVP_CIPHER_CTX_free(ctx);
   return ciphertext_len;
 }
@@ -301,51 +275,39 @@
   int len;
   int plaintext_len;
   int ret;
-
-  // Create and initialise the context
   if (!(ctx = EVP_CIPHER_CTX_new())) {
     NDN_THROW(std::runtime_error("Cannot create and initialise the context when calling EVP_CIPHER_CTX_new()"));
   }
-
-  // Initialise the decryption operation.
   if (!EVP_DecryptInit_ex(ctx, EVP_aes_128_gcm(), nullptr, nullptr, nullptr)) {
+    EVP_CIPHER_CTX_free(ctx);
     NDN_THROW(std::runtime_error("Cannot initialise the decryption operation when calling EVP_DecryptInit_ex()"));
   }
-
-  // Set IV length. Not necessary if this is 12 bytes (96 bits)
   if (!EVP_CIPHER_CTX_ctrl(ctx, EVP_CTRL_GCM_SET_IVLEN, 12, nullptr)) {
+    EVP_CIPHER_CTX_free(ctx);
     NDN_THROW(std::runtime_error("Cannot set IV length when calling EVP_CIPHER_CTX_ctrl"));
   }
-
-  // Initialise key and IV
   if (!EVP_DecryptInit_ex(ctx, nullptr, nullptr, key, iv)) {
+    EVP_CIPHER_CTX_free(ctx);
     NDN_THROW(std::runtime_error("Cannot initialise key and IV when calling EVP_DecryptInit_ex()"));
   }
-
-  // Provide any AAD data. This can be called zero or more times as required
   if (!EVP_DecryptUpdate(ctx, nullptr, &len, associated, associated_len)) {
+    EVP_CIPHER_CTX_free(ctx);
     NDN_THROW(std::runtime_error("Cannot set associated authentication data when calling EVP_EncryptUpdate()"));
   }
-
-  // Provide the message to be decrypted, and obtain the plaintext output.
-  // EVP_DecryptUpdate can be called multiple times if necessary
   if (!EVP_DecryptUpdate(ctx, plaintext, &len, ciphertext, ciphertext_len)) {
+    EVP_CIPHER_CTX_free(ctx);
     NDN_THROW(std::runtime_error("Cannot decrypt when calling EVP_DecryptUpdate()"));
   }
   plaintext_len = len;
-
-  // Set expected tag value. Works in OpenSSL 1.0.1d and later
   if (!EVP_CIPHER_CTX_ctrl(ctx, EVP_CTRL_GCM_SET_TAG, 16, (void*)tag)) {
+    EVP_CIPHER_CTX_free(ctx);
     NDN_THROW(std::runtime_error("Cannot set tag value when calling EVP_CIPHER_CTX_ctrl"));
   }
-
   // Finalise the decryption. A positive return value indicates success,
   // anything else is a failure - the plaintext is not trustworthy.
   ret = EVP_DecryptFinal_ex(ctx, plaintext + len, &len);
-
   // Clean up
   EVP_CIPHER_CTX_free(ctx);
-
   if (ret > 0) {
     // Success
     plaintext_len += len;
diff --git a/src/detail/crypto-helper.hpp b/src/detail/crypto-helpers.hpp
similarity index 98%
rename from src/detail/crypto-helper.hpp
rename to src/detail/crypto-helpers.hpp
index ecf9327..00b91b1 100644
--- a/src/detail/crypto-helper.hpp
+++ b/src/detail/crypto-helpers.hpp
@@ -38,11 +38,6 @@
   uint8_t*
   deriveSecret(const std::string& peerKeyStr);
 
-  uint8_t m_publicKey[256];
-  size_t m_publicKeyLen;
-  uint8_t m_sharedSecret[256];
-  size_t m_sharedSecretLen;
-
 NDNCERT_PUBLIC_WITH_TESTS_ELSE_PRIVATE:
   uint8_t*
   deriveSecret(const uint8_t* peerkey, size_t peerKeySize);
@@ -50,6 +45,12 @@
   uint8_t*
   getRawSelfPubKey();
 
+public:
+  uint8_t m_publicKey[256];
+  size_t m_publicKeyLen = 0;
+  uint8_t m_sharedSecret[256];
+  size_t m_sharedSecretLen = 0;
+
 private:
   struct ECDH_CTX;
   unique_ptr<ECDH_CTX> context;
diff --git a/src/requester-state.hpp b/src/requester-state.hpp
index ffebd8f..2c90fac 100644
--- a/src/requester-state.hpp
+++ b/src/requester-state.hpp
@@ -22,7 +22,7 @@
 #define NDNCERT_REQUESTER_STATE_HPP
 
 #include "detail/ca-state.hpp"
-#include "detail/crypto-helper.hpp"
+#include "detail/crypto-helpers.hpp"
 #include "configuration.hpp"
 
 namespace ndn {
diff --git a/src/requester.cpp b/src/requester.cpp
index 412b7f3..b4cc929 100644
--- a/src/requester.cpp
+++ b/src/requester.cpp
@@ -20,7 +20,7 @@
 
 #include "requester.hpp"
 #include "identity-challenge/challenge-module.hpp"
-#include "detail/crypto-helper.hpp"
+#include "detail/crypto-helpers.hpp"
 #include "detail/challenge-encoder.hpp"
 #include "detail/error-encoder.hpp"
 #include "detail/info-encoder.hpp"
diff --git a/tests/unit-tests/crypto-helper.t.cpp b/tests/unit-tests/crypto-helper.t.cpp
index 349800f..8f10361 100644
--- a/tests/unit-tests/crypto-helper.t.cpp
+++ b/tests/unit-tests/crypto-helper.t.cpp
@@ -18,7 +18,7 @@
  * See AUTHORS.md for complete list of ndncert authors and contributors.
  */
 
-#include "detail/crypto-helper.hpp"
+#include "detail/crypto-helpers.hpp"
 #include "test-common.hpp"
 
 namespace ndn {