diff --git a/tests/unit/validator/validator.t.cpp b/tests/unit/validator/validator.t.cpp
new file mode 100644
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+++ b/tests/unit/validator/validator.t.cpp
@@ -0,0 +1,170 @@
+/* -*- Mode:C++; c-file-style:"gnu"; indent-tabs-mode:nil; -*- */
+/*
+ * Copyright (c) 2014-2020, 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 "ndns-label.hpp"
+#include "daemon/name-server.hpp"
+#include "util/cert-helper.hpp"
+
+#include "boost-test.hpp"
+#include "unit/database-test-data.hpp"
+
+#include <ndn-cxx/util/dummy-client-face.hpp>
+
+namespace ndn {
+namespace ndns {
+namespace tests {
+
+BOOST_AUTO_TEST_SUITE(Validator)
+
+class ValidatorTestFixture : public DbTestData
+{
+public:
+  ValidatorTestFixture()
+    : m_validatorFace(m_io, m_keyChain, {true, true})
+    , m_validator(NdnsValidatorBuilder::create(m_validatorFace, 500, 0,
+                                               UNIT_TESTS_TMPDIR "/validator.conf"))
+  {
+    // generate a random cert
+    // check how does name-server test do
+    // initialize all servers
+    auto addServer = [this] (const Name& zoneName) {
+      m_serverFaces.push_back(make_unique<util::DummyClientFace>(m_io, m_keyChain,
+                                                                 util::DummyClientFace::Options{true, true}));
+      m_serverFaces.back()->linkTo(m_validatorFace);
+
+      // validator is used only for check update signature
+      // no updates tested here, so validator will not be used
+      // passing m_validator is only for construct server
+      Name certName = CertHelper::getDefaultCertificateNameOfIdentity(m_keyChain,
+                                                                      Name(zoneName).append("NDNS"));
+      auto server = make_shared<NameServer>(zoneName, certName, *m_serverFaces.back(),
+                                            m_session, m_keyChain, *m_validator);
+      m_servers.push_back(std::move(server));
+    };
+    addServer(m_testName);
+    addServer(m_netName);
+    addServer(m_ndnsimName);
+
+    m_ndnsimCert = CertHelper::getDefaultCertificateNameOfIdentity(m_keyChain,
+                                                                   Name(m_ndnsimName).append("NDNS"));
+    m_randomCert = m_keyChain.createIdentity("/random/identity").getDefaultKey()
+                   .getDefaultCertificate().getName();
+    advanceClocks(time::milliseconds(10), 1);
+  }
+
+public:
+  util::DummyClientFace m_validatorFace;
+  unique_ptr<security::Validator> m_validator;
+  std::vector<unique_ptr<util::DummyClientFace>> m_serverFaces;
+  std::vector<shared_ptr<ndns::NameServer>> m_servers;
+  Name m_ndnsimCert;
+  Name m_randomCert;
+};
+
+BOOST_FIXTURE_TEST_CASE(Basic, ValidatorTestFixture)
+{
+  SignatureInfo info;
+  info.setValidityPeriod(security::ValidityPeriod(time::system_clock::TimePoint::min(),
+                                                  time::system_clock::now() + time::days(10)));
+
+  // case1: record of testId3, signed by its dsk, should be successful validated.
+  Name dataName;
+  dataName
+    .append(m_ndnsimName)
+    .append("NDNS")
+    .append("rrLabel")
+    .append("rrType")
+    .appendVersion();
+  shared_ptr<Data> data = make_shared<Data>(dataName);
+  m_keyChain.sign(*data, signingByCertificate(m_ndnsimCert).setSignatureInfo(info));
+
+  bool hasValidated = false;
+  m_validator->validate(*data,
+                        [&] (const Data& data) {
+                          hasValidated = true;
+                          BOOST_CHECK(true);
+                        },
+                        [&] (const Data& data, const security::ValidationError& str) {
+                          hasValidated = true;
+                          BOOST_CHECK(false);
+                        });
+
+  advanceClocks(time::seconds(3), 100);
+  // m_io.run();
+  BOOST_CHECK_EQUAL(hasValidated, true);
+
+  // case2: signing testId2's data by testId3's key, which should failed in validation
+  dataName = Name();
+  dataName
+    .append(m_netName)
+    .append("NDNS")
+    .append("rrLabel")
+    .append("CERT")
+    .appendVersion();
+  data = make_shared<Data>(dataName);
+  m_keyChain.sign(*data, signingByCertificate(m_ndnsimCert)); // key's owner's name is longer than data owner's
+
+  hasValidated = false;
+  m_validator->validate(*data,
+                        [&] (const Data& data) {
+                          hasValidated = true;
+                          BOOST_CHECK(false);
+                        },
+                        [&] (const Data& data, const security::ValidationError& str) {
+                          hasValidated = true;
+                          BOOST_CHECK(true);
+                        });
+
+  advanceClocks(time::seconds(3), 100);
+  // cannot pass verification due to key's owner's name is longer than data owner's
+  BOOST_CHECK_EQUAL(hasValidated, true);
+
+  // case3: totally wrong key to sign
+  dataName = Name();
+  dataName
+    .append(m_ndnsimName)
+    .append("NDNS")
+    .append("rrLabel")
+    .append("CERT")
+    .appendVersion();
+  data = make_shared<Data>(dataName);
+  m_keyChain.sign(*data, signingByCertificate(m_randomCert));
+
+  hasValidated = false;
+  m_validator->validate(*data,
+                        [&] (const Data& data) {
+                          hasValidated = true;
+                          BOOST_CHECK(false);
+                        },
+                        [&] (const Data& data, const security::ValidationError& str) {
+                          hasValidated = true;
+                          BOOST_CHECK(true);
+                        });
+
+  advanceClocks(time::seconds(3), 100);
+  // cannot pass due to a totally mismatched key
+  BOOST_CHECK_EQUAL(hasValidated, true);
+}
+
+BOOST_AUTO_TEST_SUITE_END()
+
+} // namespace tests
+} // namespace ndns
+} // namespace ndn