diff --git a/lib/safety/encryption.ex b/lib/safety/encryption.ex
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..d324873
--- /dev/null
+++ b/lib/safety/encryption.ex
@@ -0,0 +1,93 @@
+defmodule ActivityPub.Safety.Encryption do
+  @moduledoc """
+  Provides encryption and decryption functionality using RSA keys managed by ActivityPub.Safety.Keys.
+
+  NOTE: not used at the moment, simply intended as a proof-of-concept
+  """
+  import Untangle
+
+  alias ActivityPub.Safety.Keys
+  alias ActivityPub.Actor
+
+  @doc """
+  Encrypts data for a given actor using their public key.
+
+  ## Parameters
+    - data: The data to encrypt (binary or string)
+    - actor: The Actor struct or AP ID of the recipient
+
+  ## Returns
+    - {:ok, encrypted_data} on success
+    - {:error, reason} on failure
+  """
+  def encrypt(data, ap_id) when is_binary(ap_id) do
+    with {:ok, public_key} <- Keys.get_public_key_for_ap_id(ap_id) do
+      encrypt_with_public_key(data, public_key)
+    end
+  end
+
+  def encrypt(data, actor) do
+    with {:ok, public_key} <- Keys.public_key_from_data(actor) do
+      encrypt_with_public_key(data, public_key)
+    end
+  end
+
+  @doc """
+  Decrypts data for a given actor using their private key.
+
+  ## Parameters
+    - encrypted_data: The data to decrypt (binary)
+    - actor: The Actor struct with private keys
+
+  ## Returns
+    - {:ok, decrypted_data} on success
+    - {:error, reason} on failure
+  """
+  def decrypt(encrypted_data, %Actor{local: true, keys: keys} = actor) when not is_nil(keys) do
+    with {:ok, private_key, _public_key} <- Keys.keypair_from_pem(keys) do
+      decrypt_with_private_key(encrypted_data, private_key)
+    end
+  end
+
+  def decrypt(encrypted_data, ap_id) when is_binary(ap_id) do
+    with {:ok, actor} <- Actor.get_cached(ap_id: ap_id) do
+      decrypt(encrypted_data, actor)
+    end
+  end
+
+  def decrypt(_encrypted_data, %Actor{local: false} = actor) do
+    error(actor, "Cannot perform decryption for remote actors")
+  end
+
+  def decrypt(_encrypted_data, actor) do
+    error(actor, "Could not find a private key to use for decryption")
+  end
+
+  # Private functions
+
+  defp encrypt_with_public_key(data, public_key) do
+    with {:ok, decoded_key} <- Keys.public_key_decode(public_key) do
+      encrypted = :public_key.encrypt_public(data, decoded_key)
+      {:ok, encrypted}
+    end
+  rescue
+    e -> error(e)
+  end
+
+  defp decrypt_with_private_key(encrypted_data, private_key) do
+    decrypted = :public_key.decrypt_private(encrypted_data, private_key)
+    {:ok, decrypted}
+  rescue
+    e in ErlangError ->
+      case e do
+        %ErlangError{original: {:error, _, msg}} ->
+          error(to_string(msg))
+
+        _ ->
+          error(e)
+      end
+
+    e ->
+      error(e)
+  end
+end
diff --git a/lib/safety/signatures.ex b/lib/safety/http_signatures_adapter.ex
similarity index 98%
rename from lib/safety/signatures.ex
rename to lib/safety/http_signatures_adapter.ex
index ac67888..26cf850 100644
--- a/lib/safety/signatures.ex
+++ b/lib/safety/http_signatures_adapter.ex
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-defmodule ActivityPub.Safety.Signatures do
+defmodule ActivityPub.Safety.HTTP.Signatures do
   @moduledoc """
   Implementation for behaviour from `HTTPSignatures` library
   """
diff --git a/lib/safety/keys.ex b/lib/safety/keys.ex
index f37eb32..a18b83f 100644
--- a/lib/safety/keys.ex
+++ b/lib/safety/keys.ex
@@ -10,7 +10,7 @@ defmodule ActivityPub.Safety.Keys do
   alias ActivityPub.Actor
   alias ActivityPub.Utils
   alias ActivityPub.Safety.Keys
-  # alias ActivityPub.Safety.Signatures
+  # alias ActivityPub.Safety.HTTP.Signatures
   # alias ActivityPub.Federator.Fetcher
   alias ActivityPub.Federator.Adapter
 
@@ -122,7 +122,7 @@ defmodule ActivityPub.Safety.Keys do
 
     with {:ok, pem} <- generate_rsa_pem(),
          {:ok, actor} <- Adapter.update_local_actor(actor, %{keys: pem}),
-         {:ok, actor} <- Actor.set_cache(actor) do
+         {:ok, actor} <- Actor.set_cache(actor) |> debug("donz") do
       {:ok, actor}
     else
       e -> error(e, "Could not generate or save keys")
diff --git a/test/activity_pub/data/encryption_test.exs b/test/activity_pub/data/encryption_test.exs
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..867481f
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/activity_pub/data/encryption_test.exs
@@ -0,0 +1,82 @@
+defmodule ActivityPub.Safety.EncryptionTest do
+  # this isn't used but simply a proof of concept
+  use ActivityPub.DataCase, async: false
+  alias ActivityPub.Safety.Encryption
+  alias ActivityPub.Safety.Keys
+  alias ActivityPub.Actor
+
+  # Import the test helpers that contain the local_actor() function
+  import ActivityPub.Factory
+
+  describe "encrypt/2" do
+    test "successfully encrypts data for a local actor" do
+      actor = local_actor()
+      {:ok, actor} = Keys.ensure_keys_present(actor.actor)
+
+      assert {:ok, encrypted} = Encryption.encrypt("secret message", actor)
+      assert is_binary(encrypted)
+      assert encrypted != "secret message"
+    end
+
+    test "returns error for actor without public key" do
+      actor = local_actor()
+
+      actor = %{actor | data: Map.delete(actor.data, "publicKey")}
+
+      assert {:error, "Public key not found"} = Encryption.encrypt("secret message", actor)
+    end
+
+    test "encrypts data using AP ID" do
+      actor = local_actor()
+      {:ok, actor} = Keys.ensure_keys_present(actor.actor)
+
+      assert {:ok, encrypted} = Encryption.encrypt("secret message", actor.data["id"])
+      assert is_binary(encrypted)
+      assert encrypted != "secret message"
+    end
+  end
+
+  describe "decrypt/2" do
+    test "successfully decrypts data for a local actor" do
+      actor = local_actor()
+      {:ok, actor} = Keys.ensure_keys_present(actor.actor)
+
+      assert {:ok, encrypted} = Encryption.encrypt("secret message", actor)
+      assert encrypted != "secret message"
+      assert {:ok, "secret message"} = Encryption.decrypt(encrypted, actor)
+    end
+
+    test "fails decryption for remote actor" do
+      actor = local_actor()
+      {:ok, actor} = Keys.ensure_keys_present(actor.actor)
+      remote_actor = %{actor | local: false}
+
+      assert {:error, "Cannot perform decryption for remote actors"} =
+               Encryption.decrypt("fake encrypted data", remote_actor)
+    end
+
+    test "fails decryption with invalid data" do
+      actor = local_actor()
+      {:ok, actor} = Keys.ensure_keys_present(actor.actor)
+
+      assert {:error, _} = Encryption.decrypt("non-encrypted data", actor)
+    end
+
+    test "fails decryption with someone else's keys" do
+      actor = local_actor()
+      {:ok, actor} = Keys.ensure_keys_present(actor.actor)
+
+      actor2 = local_actor()
+      {:ok, actor2} = Keys.ensure_keys_present(actor2.actor)
+
+      assert {:ok, encrypted} = Encryption.encrypt("secret message", actor)
+      assert {:error, _} = Encryption.decrypt(encrypted, actor2)
+    end
+
+    test "fails decryption with missing keys" do
+      actor = local_actor().actor
+
+      assert {:error, _} = Encryption.decrypt("non-encrypted data", actor)
+    end
+  end
+end
diff --git a/test/activity_pub/safety/signatures/mapped_signature_to_identity_plug_test.exs b/test/activity_pub/safety/signatures/mapped_signature_to_identity_plug_test.exs
index 3cb32ca..7bb5860 100644
--- a/test/activity_pub/safety/signatures/mapped_signature_to_identity_plug_test.exs
+++ b/test/activity_pub/safety/signatures/mapped_signature_to_identity_plug_test.exs
@@ -6,7 +6,7 @@ defmodule ActivityPub.Web.Plugs.MappedSignatureToIdentityPlugTest do
   use ActivityPub.Web.ConnCase, async: false
   alias ActivityPub.Web.Plugs.MappedSignatureToIdentityPlug
   alias ActivityPub.Config
-  alias ActivityPub.Safety.Signatures
+  alias ActivityPub.Safety.HTTP.Signatures
 
   import Tesla.Mock
   import Plug.Conn
diff --git a/test/activity_pub/safety/signatures/signature_test.exs b/test/activity_pub/safety/signatures/signature_test.exs
index 9bb10ce..7fb0b5f 100644
--- a/test/activity_pub/safety/signatures/signature_test.exs
+++ b/test/activity_pub/safety/signatures/signature_test.exs
@@ -11,7 +11,7 @@ defmodule ActivityPub.Safety.SignatureTest do
   alias ActivityPub.Actor
   alias ActivityPub.Safety.Keys
   alias ActivityPub.Utils
-  alias ActivityPub.Safety.Signatures
+  alias ActivityPub.Safety.HTTP.Signatures
   alias ActivityPub.Federator.Fetcher
 
   @private_key "-----BEGIN RSA PRIVATE KEY-----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\n3Z7TQ18Iyh3jAUCzFV9IJlLIExq5Y7P4B3ojWFBN607sDCt8BMPbDYs=\n-----END RSA PRIVATE KEY-----"
diff --git a/test/test_helper.exs b/test/test_helper.exs
index 093155d..55a0746 100644
--- a/test/test_helper.exs
+++ b/test/test_helper.exs
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-import ActivityPub.Test.Helpers
+# import ActivityPub.Test.Helpers
 import ActivityPub.Utils
 
 {:ok, _} = Application.ensure_all_started(:ex_machina)