diff --git a/tests/unit/validator/validator.cpp b/tests/unit/validator/validator.cpp
new file mode 100644
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+++ b/tests/unit/validator/validator.cpp
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+/* -*- Mode:C++; c-file-style:"gnu"; indent-tabs-mode:nil; -*- */
+/*
+ * Copyright (c) 2014-2017, Regents of the University of California.
+ *
+ * This file is part of NDNS (Named Data Networking Domain Name Service).
+ * See AUTHORS.md for complete list of NDNS authors and contributors.
+ *
+ * NDNS is free software: you can redistribute it and/or modify it under the terms
+ * of the GNU General Public License as published by the Free Software Foundation,
+ * either version 3 of the License, or (at your option) any later version.
+ *
+ * NDNS 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
+ * NDNS, e.g., in COPYING.md file.  If not, see <http://www.gnu.org/licenses/>.
+ */
+
+#include "validator/validator.hpp"
+
+#include "test-common.hpp"
+#include "util/cert-helper.hpp"
+
+#include <ndn-cxx/util/io.hpp>
+
+namespace ndn {
+namespace ndns {
+namespace tests {
+
+NDNS_LOG_INIT("ValidatorTest")
+
+BOOST_AUTO_TEST_SUITE(Validator)
+
+class Fixture : public IdentityManagementFixture
+{
+public:
+  Fixture()
+    : m_testId1("/test02")
+    , m_testId2("/test02/ndn")
+    , m_testId3("/test02/ndn/edu")
+    , m_randomId("/test03")
+    , m_face(m_keyChain, {false, true})
+  {
+    m_randomDsk = createRoot(Name(m_randomId).append("NDNS")); // generate a root cert
+
+    m_dsk1 = createRoot(Name(m_testId1).append("NDNS")); // replace to root cert
+    m_dsk2 = createIdentity(Name(m_testId2).append("NDNS"), m_dsk1);
+    m_dsk3 = createIdentity(Name(m_testId3).append("NDNS"), m_dsk2);
+
+    m_face.onSendInterest.connect(bind(&Fixture::respondInterest, this, _1));
+  }
+
+  ~Fixture()
+  {
+    m_face.getIoService().stop();
+    m_face.shutdown();
+  }
+
+  const Key
+  createIdentity(const Name& id, const Key& parentKey)
+  {
+    Identity identity = addIdentity(id);
+    Key defaultKey = identity.getDefaultKey();
+    m_keyChain.deleteKey(identity, defaultKey);
+
+    Key ksk = m_keyChain.createKey(identity);
+    Name defaultKskCert = ksk.getDefaultCertificate().getName();
+    m_keyChain.deleteCertificate(ksk, defaultKskCert);
+
+    Key dsk = m_keyChain.createKey(identity);
+    Name defaultDskCert = dsk.getDefaultCertificate().getName();
+    m_keyChain.deleteCertificate(dsk, defaultDskCert);
+
+    auto kskCert = CertHelper::createCertificate(m_keyChain, ksk, parentKey, "CERT", time::days(100));
+    auto dskCert = CertHelper::createCertificate(m_keyChain, dsk, ksk, "CERT", time::days(100));
+
+    m_keyChain.addCertificate(ksk, kskCert);
+    m_keyChain.addCertificate(dsk, dskCert);
+
+    m_keyChain.setDefaultKey(identity, dsk);
+    return dsk;
+  }
+
+  const Key
+  createRoot(const Name& root)
+  {
+    Identity rootIdentity = addIdentity(root);
+    auto cert = rootIdentity.getDefaultKey().getDefaultCertificate();
+    ndn::io::save(cert, TEST_CONFIG_PATH "/anchors/root.cert");
+    NDNS_LOG_TRACE("save root cert "<< m_rootCert <<
+                  " to: " << TEST_CONFIG_PATH "/anchors/root.cert");
+    return rootIdentity.getDefaultKey();
+  }
+
+  void
+  respondInterest(const Interest& interest)
+  {
+    Name keyName = interest.getName();
+    Name identityName = keyName.getPrefix(-2);
+    NDNS_LOG_TRACE("validator needs cert of KEY: " << keyName);
+    auto cert = m_keyChain.getPib().getIdentity(identityName)
+                                   .getKey(keyName)
+                                   .getDefaultCertificate();
+    m_face.getIoService().post([this, cert] {
+        m_face.receive(cert);
+      });
+  }
+
+public:
+  Name m_testId1;
+  Name m_testId2;
+  Name m_testId3;
+  Name m_randomId;
+
+  Name m_rootCert;
+
+  Key m_dsk1;
+  Key m_dsk2;
+  Key m_dsk3;
+
+  Key m_randomDsk;
+
+  ndn::util::DummyClientFace m_face;
+};
+
+
+BOOST_FIXTURE_TEST_CASE(Basic, Fixture)
+{
+  // validator must be created after root key is saved to the target
+  auto validator = NdnsValidatorBuilder::create(m_face, TEST_CONFIG_PATH "/" "validator.conf");
+
+  // case1: record of testId3, signed by its dsk, should be successful validated.
+  Name dataName;
+  dataName
+    .append(m_testId3)
+    .append("NDNS")
+    .append("rrLabel")
+    .append("rrType")
+    .appendVersion();
+  shared_ptr<Data> data = make_shared<Data>(dataName);
+  m_keyChain.sign(*data, signingByKey(m_dsk3));
+
+  bool hasValidated = false;
+  validator->validate(*data,
+                     [&] (const Data& data) {
+                       hasValidated = true;
+                       BOOST_CHECK(true);
+                     },
+                     [&] (const Data& data, const security::v2::ValidationError& str) {
+                       hasValidated = true;
+                       BOOST_CHECK(false);
+                     });
+
+  m_face.processEvents(time::milliseconds(-1));
+
+  BOOST_CHECK_EQUAL(hasValidated, true);
+
+  // case2: signing testId2's data by testId3's key, which should failed in validation
+  dataName = Name();
+  dataName
+    .append(m_testId2)
+    .append("NDNS")
+    .append("rrLabel")
+    .append("CERT")
+    .appendVersion();
+  data = make_shared<Data>(dataName);
+  m_keyChain.sign(*data, signingByKey(m_dsk3)); // key's owner's name is longer than data owner's
+
+  hasValidated = false;
+  validator->validate(*data,
+                     [&] (const Data& data) {
+                       hasValidated = true;
+                       BOOST_CHECK(false);
+                     },
+                     [&] (const Data& data, const security::v2::ValidationError& str) {
+                       hasValidated = true;
+                       BOOST_CHECK(true);
+                     });
+
+  m_face.processEvents(time::milliseconds(-1));
+  // cannot pass verification due to key's owner's name is longer than data owner's
+  BOOST_CHECK_EQUAL(hasValidated, true);
+
+  // case4: totally wrong key to sign
+  dataName = Name();
+  dataName
+    .append(m_testId2)
+    .append("NDNS")
+    .append("rrLabel")
+    .append("CERT")
+    .appendVersion();
+  data = make_shared<Data>(dataName);
+  m_keyChain.sign(*data, signingByKey(m_randomDsk));
+
+  hasValidated = false;
+  validator->validate(*data,
+                     [&] (const Data& data) {
+                       hasValidated = true;
+                       BOOST_CHECK(false);
+                     },
+                     [&] (const Data& data, const security::v2::ValidationError& str) {
+                       hasValidated = true;
+                       BOOST_CHECK(true);
+                     });
+
+  m_face.processEvents(time::milliseconds(-1));
+  // cannot pass due to a totally mismatched key
+  BOOST_CHECK_EQUAL(hasValidated, true);
+}
+
+BOOST_AUTO_TEST_SUITE_END()
+
+} // namespace tests
+} // namespace ndns
+} // namespace ndn