diff --git a/context.go b/context.go
index 9b3eeee..141d0df 100644
--- a/context.go
+++ b/context.go
@@ -7,6 +7,7 @@ import (
   "errors"
   "runtime"
   "crypto/sha512"
+  "crypto/elliptic"
   "encoding/binary"
 )
 
@@ -77,6 +78,8 @@ type Context struct {
   Extensions map[uint64]ExtensionInfo
   // Map between database type hashes and the registered info
   Types map[uint64]*NodeInfo
+  // Curve used for signature operations
+  ECDSA elliptic.Curve
   // Routing map to all the nodes local to this context
   NodesLock sync.RWMutex
   Nodes map[NodeID]*Node
@@ -194,6 +197,7 @@ func NewContext(db * badger.DB, log Logger) (*Context, error) {
     Extensions: map[uint64]ExtensionInfo{},
     Types: map[uint64]*NodeInfo{},
     Nodes: map[NodeID]*Node{},
+    ECDSA: elliptic.P256(),
   }
 
   var err error
diff --git a/gql_test.go b/gql_test.go
index 6eec99e..a18b1ba 100644
--- a/gql_test.go
+++ b/gql_test.go
@@ -15,7 +15,7 @@ func TestGQLDB(t * testing.T) {
   TestUserNodeType := NodeType("TEST_USER")
   err := ctx.RegisterNodeType(TestUserNodeType, []ExtType{})
   fatalErr(t, err)
-  u1 := NewNode(ctx, RandID(), TestUserNodeType, 10, nil)
+  u1 := NewNode(ctx, nil, TestUserNodeType, 10, nil)
 
   ctx.Log.Logf("test", "U1_ID: %s", u1.ID)
 
@@ -24,7 +24,7 @@ func TestGQLDB(t * testing.T) {
 
   gql_ext := NewGQLExt(":0", ecdh.P256(), key, nil, nil)
   listener_ext := NewListenerExt(10)
-  gql := NewNode(ctx, RandID(), GQLNodeType, 10, nil,
+  gql := NewNode(ctx, nil, GQLNodeType, 10, nil,
                  gql_ext,
                  listener_ext,
                  NewACLExt(),
diff --git a/graph_test.go b/graph_test.go
index 29d5d35..973a694 100644
--- a/graph_test.go
+++ b/graph_test.go
@@ -113,7 +113,7 @@ func NewSimpleListener(ctx *Context, buffer int) (*Node, *ListenerExt) {
   policy := NewAllNodesPolicy(Actions{MakeAction("status")})
   listener_extension := NewListenerExt(buffer)
   listener := NewNode(ctx,
-                      RandID(),
+                      nil,
                       SimpleListenerNodeType,
                       10,
                       nil,
diff --git a/lockable_test.go b/lockable_test.go
index b683409..f773d34 100644
--- a/lockable_test.go
+++ b/lockable_test.go
@@ -25,13 +25,13 @@ func TestLink(t *testing.T) {
   ctx := lockableTestContext(t, []string{})
 
   l1_listener := NewListenerExt(10)
-  l1 := NewNode(ctx, RandID(), TestLockableType, 10, nil,
+  l1 := NewNode(ctx, nil, TestLockableType, 10, nil,
                  l1_listener,
                  NewACLExt(link_policy),
                  NewLockableExt(),
                )
   l2_listener := NewListenerExt(10)
-  l2 := NewNode(ctx, RandID(), TestLockableType, 10, nil,
+  l2 := NewNode(ctx, nil, TestLockableType, 10, nil,
                  l2_listener,
                  NewACLExt(link_policy),
                  NewLockableExt(),
@@ -55,7 +55,7 @@ func TestLink10K(t *testing.T) {
   ctx := lockableTestContext(t, []string{"test"})
 
   NewLockable := func()(*Node) {
-    l := NewNode(ctx, RandID(), TestLockableType, 10, nil,
+    l := NewNode(ctx, nil, TestLockableType, 10, nil,
                   NewACLExt(lock_policy, link_policy),
                   NewLockableExt(),
                 )
@@ -64,7 +64,7 @@ func TestLink10K(t *testing.T) {
 
   NewListener := func()(*Node, *ListenerExt) {
     listener := NewListenerExt(100000)
-    l := NewNode(ctx, RandID(), TestLockableType, 256, nil,
+    l := NewNode(ctx, nil, TestLockableType, 256, nil,
                   listener,
                   NewACLExt(lock_policy, link_policy),
                   NewLockableExt(),
@@ -94,7 +94,7 @@ func TestLock(t *testing.T) {
 
   NewLockable := func()(*Node, *ListenerExt) {
     listener := NewListenerExt(100)
-    l := NewNode(ctx, RandID(), TestLockableType, 10, nil,
+    l := NewNode(ctx, nil, TestLockableType, 10, nil,
                   listener,
                   NewACLExt(lock_policy, link_policy),
                   NewLockableExt(),
diff --git a/node.go b/node.go
index 319b255..10e2246 100644
--- a/node.go
+++ b/node.go
@@ -10,13 +10,18 @@ import (
   "encoding/binary"
   "encoding/json"
   "sync/atomic"
+  "crypto/ecdsa"
+  "crypto/elliptic"
+  "crypto/sha512"
+  "crypto/rand"
+  "crypto/x509"
 )
 
 const (
   // Magic first four bytes of serialized DB content, stored big endian
   NODE_DB_MAGIC = 0x2491df14
   // Total length of the node database header, has magic to verify and type_hash to map to load function
-  NODE_DB_HEADER_LEN = 24
+  NODE_DB_HEADER_LEN = 28
   EXTENSION_DB_HEADER_LEN = 16
 )
 
@@ -32,6 +37,7 @@ func (id NodeID) MarshalJSON() ([]byte, error) {
   str := id.String()
   return json.Marshal(&str)
 }
+
 func (id *NodeID) UnmarshalJSON(bytes []byte) error {
   var id_str string
   err := json.Unmarshal(bytes, &id_str)
@@ -95,6 +101,7 @@ type QueuedSignal struct {
 // Default message channel size for nodes
 // Nodes represent a group of extensions that can be collectively addressed
 type Node struct {
+  Key *ecdsa.PrivateKey
   ID NodeID
   Type NodeType
   Extensions map[ExtType]Extension
@@ -268,16 +275,24 @@ func GetExt[T Extension](node *Node) (T, error) {
 
 func (node *Node) Serialize() ([]byte, error) {
   extensions := make([]ExtensionDB, len(node.Extensions))
+
+  key_bytes, err := x509.MarshalECPrivateKey(node.Key)
+  if err != nil {
+    return nil, err
+  }
+
   node_db := NodeDB{
     Header: NodeDBHeader{
       Magic: NODE_DB_MAGIC,
       TypeHash: Hash(node.Type),
+      KeyLength: uint32(len(key_bytes)),
       BufferSize: node.BufferSize,
       NumExtensions: uint32(len(extensions)),
       NumQueuedSignals: uint32(len(node.SignalQueue)),
     },
     Extensions: extensions,
     QueuedSignals: node.SignalQueue,
+    KeyBytes: key_bytes,
   }
 
   i := 0
@@ -299,8 +314,23 @@ func (node *Node) Serialize() ([]byte, error) {
   return node_db.Serialize(), nil
 }
 
+func KeyID(pub *ecdsa.PublicKey) NodeID {
+  ser := elliptic.Marshal(pub.Curve, pub.X, pub.Y)
+  str := uuid.NewHash(sha512.New(), ZeroUUID, ser, 3)
+  return NodeID(str)
+}
+
 // Create a new node in memory and start it's event loop
-func NewNode(ctx *Context, id NodeID, node_type NodeType, buffer_size uint32, queued_signals []QueuedSignal, extensions ...Extension) *Node {
+// TODO: Change panics to errors
+func NewNode(ctx *Context, key *ecdsa.PrivateKey, node_type NodeType, buffer_size uint32, queued_signals []QueuedSignal, extensions ...Extension) *Node {
+  var err error
+  if key == nil {
+    key, err = ecdsa.GenerateKey(ctx.ECDSA, rand.Reader)
+    if err != nil {
+      panic(err)
+    }
+  }
+  id := KeyID(&key.PublicKey)
   _, exists := ctx.Node(id)
   if exists == true {
     panic("Attempted to create an existing node")
@@ -334,6 +364,7 @@ func NewNode(ctx *Context, id NodeID, node_type NodeType, buffer_size uint32, qu
   next_signal, timeout_chan := SoonestSignal(queued_signals)
 
   node := &Node{
+    Key: key,
     ID: id,
     Type: node_type,
     Extensions: ext_map,
@@ -344,7 +375,7 @@ func NewNode(ctx *Context, id NodeID, node_type NodeType, buffer_size uint32, qu
     NextSignal: next_signal,
   }
   ctx.AddNode(id, node)
-  err := WriteNode(ctx, node)
+  err = WriteNode(ctx, node)
   if err != nil {
     panic(err)
   }
@@ -384,6 +415,7 @@ type NodeDBHeader struct {
   NumExtensions uint32
   NumQueuedSignals uint32
   BufferSize uint32
+  KeyLength uint32
   TypeHash uint64
 }
 
@@ -391,6 +423,7 @@ type NodeDB struct {
   Header NodeDBHeader
   QueuedSignals []QueuedSignal
   Extensions []ExtensionDB
+  KeyBytes []byte
 }
 
 //TODO: add size safety checks
@@ -403,7 +436,8 @@ func NewNodeDB(data []byte) (NodeDB, error) {
   num_extensions := binary.BigEndian.Uint32(data[4:8])
   num_queued_signals := binary.BigEndian.Uint32(data[8:12])
   buffer_size := binary.BigEndian.Uint32(data[12:16])
-  node_type_hash := binary.BigEndian.Uint64(data[16:24])
+  key_length := binary.BigEndian.Uint32(data[16:20])
+  node_type_hash := binary.BigEndian.Uint64(data[20:28])
 
   ptr += NODE_DB_HEADER_LEN
 
@@ -411,6 +445,14 @@ func NewNodeDB(data []byte) (NodeDB, error) {
     return zero, fmt.Errorf("header has incorrect magic 0x%x", magic)
   }
 
+  key_bytes := make([]byte, key_length)
+  n := copy(key_bytes, data[ptr:(ptr+int(key_length))])
+  if n != int(key_length) {
+    return zero, fmt.Errorf("not enough key bytes: %d", n)
+  }
+
+  ptr += int(key_length)
+
   extensions := make([]ExtensionDB, num_extensions)
   for i, _ := range(extensions) {
     cur := data[ptr:]
@@ -443,9 +485,11 @@ func NewNodeDB(data []byte) (NodeDB, error) {
       Magic: magic,
       TypeHash: node_type_hash,
       BufferSize: buffer_size,
+      KeyLength: key_length,
       NumExtensions: num_extensions,
       NumQueuedSignals: num_queued_signals,
     },
+    KeyBytes: key_bytes,
     Extensions: extensions,
     QueuedSignals: queued_signals,
   }, nil
@@ -461,12 +505,14 @@ func (header NodeDBHeader) Serialize() []byte {
   binary.BigEndian.PutUint32(ret[4:8], header.NumExtensions)
   binary.BigEndian.PutUint32(ret[8:12], header.NumQueuedSignals)
   binary.BigEndian.PutUint32(ret[12:16], header.BufferSize)
-  binary.BigEndian.PutUint64(ret[16:24], header.TypeHash)
+  binary.BigEndian.PutUint32(ret[16:20], header.KeyLength)
+  binary.BigEndian.PutUint64(ret[20:28], header.TypeHash)
   return ret
 }
 
 func (node NodeDB) Serialize() []byte {
   ser := node.Header.Serialize()
+  ser = append(ser, node.KeyBytes...)
   for _, extension := range(node.Extensions) {
     ser = append(ser, extension.Serialize()...)
   }
@@ -541,6 +587,20 @@ func LoadNode(ctx * Context, id NodeID) (*Node, error) {
     return nil, err
   }
 
+  key, err := x509.ParseECPrivateKey(node_db.KeyBytes)
+  if err != nil {
+    return nil, err
+  }
+
+  if key.PublicKey.Curve != ctx.ECDSA {
+    return nil, fmt.Errorf("%s - wrong ec curve for private key: %+v, expected %+v", id, key.PublicKey.Curve, ctx.ECDSA)
+  }
+
+  key_id := KeyID(&key.PublicKey)
+  if key_id != id {
+    return nil, fmt.Errorf("KeyID(%s) != %s", key_id, id)
+  }
+
   node_type, known := ctx.Types[node_db.Header.TypeHash]
   if known == false {
     return nil, fmt.Errorf("Tried to load node %s of type 0x%x, which is not a known node type", id, node_db.Header.TypeHash)
@@ -548,7 +608,8 @@ func LoadNode(ctx * Context, id NodeID) (*Node, error) {
 
   next_signal, timeout_chan := SoonestSignal(node_db.QueuedSignals)
   node := &Node{
-    ID: id,
+    Key: key,
+    ID: key_id,
     Type: node_type.Type,
     Extensions: map[ExtType]Extension{},
     MsgChan: make(chan Msg, node_db.Header.BufferSize),
diff --git a/node_test.go b/node_test.go
index 3a5019f..a1f0ada 100644
--- a/node_test.go
+++ b/node_test.go
@@ -3,6 +3,8 @@ package graphvent
 import (
   "testing"
   "time"
+  "crypto/rand"
+  "crypto/ecdsa"
 )
 
 func TestNodeDB(t *testing.T) {
@@ -11,7 +13,7 @@ func TestNodeDB(t *testing.T) {
   err := ctx.RegisterNodeType(node_type, []ExtType{GroupExtType})
   fatalErr(t, err)
 
-  node := NewNode(ctx, RandID(), node_type, 10, nil, NewGroupExt(nil))
+  node := NewNode(ctx, nil, node_type, 10, nil, NewGroupExt(nil))
 
   ctx.Nodes = NodeMap{}
   _, err = ctx.GetNode(node.ID)
@@ -24,8 +26,13 @@ func TestNodeRead(t *testing.T) {
   err := ctx.RegisterNodeType(node_type, []ExtType{ACLExtType, GroupExtType})
   fatalErr(t, err)
 
-  n1_id := RandID()
-  n2_id := RandID()
+  n1_key, err := ecdsa.GenerateKey(ctx.ECDSA, rand.Reader)
+  fatalErr(t, err)
+  n2_key, err := ecdsa.GenerateKey(ctx.ECDSA, rand.Reader)
+  fatalErr(t, err)
+
+  n1_id := KeyID(&n1_key.PublicKey)
+  n2_id := KeyID(&n2_key.PublicKey)
 
   ctx.Log.Logf("test", "N1: %s", n1_id)
   ctx.Log.Logf("test", "N2: %s", n2_id)
@@ -34,12 +41,12 @@ func TestNodeRead(t *testing.T) {
     n1_id: Actions{MakeAction(ReadResultSignalType, "+")},
   })
   n2_listener := NewListenerExt(10)
-  n2 := NewNode(ctx, n2_id, node_type, 10, nil, NewACLExt(n2_policy), NewGroupExt(nil), n2_listener)
+  n2 := NewNode(ctx, n2_key, node_type, 10, nil, NewACLExt(n2_policy), NewGroupExt(nil), n2_listener)
 
   n1_policy := NewPerNodePolicy(map[NodeID]Actions{
     n2_id: Actions{MakeAction(ReadSignalType, "+")},
   })
-  n1 := NewNode(ctx, n1_id, node_type, 10, nil, NewACLExt(n1_policy), NewGroupExt(nil))
+  n1 := NewNode(ctx, n1_key, node_type, 10, nil, NewACLExt(n1_policy), NewGroupExt(nil))
 
   ctx.Send(n2.ID, n1.ID, NewReadSignal(map[ExtType][]string{
     GroupExtType: []string{"members"},
diff --git a/signal.go b/signal.go
index 3353651..a1ba3fb 100644
--- a/signal.go
+++ b/signal.go
@@ -29,6 +29,7 @@ func (signal_type SignalType) String() string {
 type Signal interface {
   Serializable[SignalType]
   Direction() SignalDirection
+  MarshalJSON() ([]byte, error)
   Permission() Action
 }
 
@@ -49,8 +50,12 @@ func (signal BaseSignal) Direction() SignalDirection {
   return signal.SignalDirection
 }
 
+func (signal BaseSignal) MarshalJSON() ([]byte, error) {
+  return json.Marshal(signal)
+}
+
 func (signal BaseSignal) Serialize() ([]byte, error) {
-  return json.MarshalIndent(signal, "", "  ")
+  return signal.MarshalJSON()
 }
 
 func NewBaseSignal(signal_type SignalType, direction SignalDirection) BaseSignal {
@@ -183,3 +188,4 @@ func NewReadResultSignal(exts map[ExtType]map[string]interface{}) ReadResultSign
   }
 }
 
+