A computer system to facilitate efficient key retrieval, comprising: a content producing device; a processor; a storage device coupled to the processor and storing instructions that when executed by a client computing device cause the client computing device to perform a method, the method comprising: obtaining a key catalog signed by the content producing device as the producer of the key catalog, the key catalog indicating a collection of key sets, wherein a key set indicates one or more keys based on a name prefix associated with a respective key, a name for the respective key, and a hash of the respective key; verifying the signature of the key catalog based on a public key of the content producing device as the producer of the key catalog; generating a first interest for a key indicated in the key catalog (190, 200, 220, 222, 224, 304) based on the name for the key and the hash of the key as indicated in the key catalog; in response to receiving, based on the first interest, the key, verifying the received key by determining that a hash of the received key matches the hash of the key as indicated in the key catalog based on a name for the received key; generating a second interest for a content object, wherein a name for the second interest includes the name prefix associated with the key as indicated in the key catalog, wherein the first interest is transmitted before or concurrent with transmitting the second interest; and in response to receiving, based on the second interest, the content object signed by the content producing device as the producer of the content object, verifying the received content object by verifying the signature of the content object based on the received key. a content producing device; a processor; a storage device coupled to the processor and storing instructions that when executed by a client computing device cause the client computing device to perform a method, the method comprising: obtaining a key catalog signed by the content producing device as the producer of the key catalog, the key catalog indicating a collection of key sets, wherein a key set indicates one or more keys based on a name prefix associated with a respective key, a name for the respective key, and a hash of the respective key; verifying the signature of the key catalog based on a public key of the content producing device as the producer of the key catalog; generating a first interest for a key indicated in the key catalog (190, 200, 220, 222, 224, 304) based on the name for the key and the hash of the key as indicated in the key catalog; in response to receiving, based on the first interest, the key, verifying the received key by determining that a hash of the received key matches the hash of the key as indicated in the key catalog based on a name for the received key; generating a second interest for a content object, wherein a name for the second interest includes the name prefix associated with the key as indicated in the key catalog, wherein the first interest is transmitted before or concurrent with transmitting the second interest; and in response to receiving, based on the second interest, the content object signed by the content producing device as the producer of the content object, verifying the received content object by verifying the signature of the content object based on the received key. obtaining a key catalog signed by the content producing device as the producer of the key catalog, the key catalog indicating a collection of key sets, wherein a key set indicates one or more keys based on a name prefix associated with a respective key, a name for the respective key, and a hash of the respective key; verifying the signature of the key catalog based on a public key of the content producing device as the producer of the key catalog; generating a first interest for a key indicated in the key catalog (190, 200, 220, 222, 224, 304) based on the name for the key and the hash of the key as indicated in the key catalog; in response to receiving, based on the first interest, the key, verifying the received key by determining that a hash of the received key matches the hash of the key as indicated in the key catalog based on a name for the received key; generating a second interest for a content object, wherein a name for the second interest includes the name prefix associated with the key as indicated in the key catalog, wherein the first interest is transmitted before or concurrent with transmitting the second interest; and in response to receiving, based on the second interest, the content object signed by the content producing device as the producer of the content object, verifying the received content object by verifying the signature of the content object based on the received key.