diff --git a/src/openssl.hxx b/src/openssl.hxx
index 0406e31..f151fc1 100644
--- a/src/openssl.hxx
+++ b/src/openssl.hxx
@@ -9,6 +9,7 @@
 #define __OPENSSL_HXX__
 
 #include <openssl/pkcs12.h>
+#include <openssl/pkcs7.h>
 #include <openssl/x509.h>
 #include "openssl/bio.h"
 #include "openssl/des.h"
@@ -72,6 +73,13 @@ namespace openssl {
       }
   };
   //----------------------------------------------------------------------------
+  class pkcs7_error: public openssl_error {
+    public:
+      pkcs7_error(const std::string& reason) throw():
+          openssl_error("pkcs7: "+reason) {
+      }
+  };
+  //----------------------------------------------------------------------------
   class x509_error: public openssl_error {
     public:
       x509_error(const std::string& reason) throw():
@@ -180,6 +188,33 @@ namespace openssl {
       pkcs12_no_x509() throw(): pkcs12_error("no x509 certificate") {}
   };
   //----------------------------------------------------------------------------
+  class pkcs7_reading_failed: public pkcs7_error {
+    public:
+      pkcs7_reading_failed(const std::string& file) throw():
+          pkcs7_error("reading DER encoded p7 file failed: "+file) {
+      }
+  };
+  //----------------------------------------------------------------------------
+  class pkcs7_parsing_failed: public pkcs7_error {
+    public:
+      pkcs7_parsing_failed() throw():
+          pkcs7_error("parsing DER encoded p7 failed") {
+      }
+      pkcs7_parsing_failed(const std::string& file) throw():
+          pkcs7_error("parsing DER encoded p7 file failed: "+file) {
+      }
+  };
+  //----------------------------------------------------------------------------
+  class pkcs7_unsupported_format: public pkcs7_error {
+    public:
+      pkcs7_unsupported_format() throw(): pkcs7_error("format not supported") {}
+  };
+  //----------------------------------------------------------------------------
+  class pkcs7_no_x509: public pkcs7_error {
+    public:
+      pkcs7_no_x509() throw(): pkcs7_error("no x509 certificate") {}
+  };
+  //----------------------------------------------------------------------------
   class cannot_open_file: public exception {
     public:
       cannot_open_file(const std::string& file) throw():
@@ -774,6 +809,67 @@ namespace openssl {
       X509List _ca;
   };
 
+  //============================================================================
+  class PKCS7 {
+      
+      //...............................................................typedefs
+    public:
+      typedef std::vector<X509*> X509List;
+      
+      //................................................................methods
+    public:
+
+      /*
+      //! Read from a PKCS#7 (.p7) file.
+      PKCS7(std::string filename) {
+        FILE* file(fopen(filename.c_str(), "rb"));
+        if (!file) throw cannot_open_file(filename);
+        ::PKCS7 *p7(d2i_PKCS7_fp(file, 0));
+        fclose(file);
+        if (!p7) throw pkcs7_reading_failed(filename);
+        try {
+          if (PKCS7_type_is_signed(p7)) while (p7->d.sign->cert->num>0)
+            _certs.push_back(new X509((::X509*)sk_pop(p7->d.sign->cert)));
+          else //! @todo to be implemented: check for other types
+            throw pkcs7_unsupported_format();
+          PKCS7_free(p7);
+        } catch (...) {
+          PKCS7_free(p7);
+          throw;
+        }
+          }*/
+      
+      //! Read PKCS#7 from memory.
+      PKCS7(const std::string& memory) {
+        BIO* mem(BIO_new_mem_buf((void*)memory.data(), memory.size()));
+        ::PKCS7 *p7(d2i_PKCS7_bio(mem, 0));
+        BIO_free(mem);
+        if (!p7) throw pkcs7_parsing_failed();
+        try {
+          if (PKCS7_type_is_signed(p7)) while (p7->d.sign->cert->num>0)
+            _certs.push_back(new X509((::X509*)sk_pop(p7->d.sign->cert)));
+          else //! @todo to be implemented: check for other types
+            throw pkcs7_unsupported_format();
+          PKCS7_free(p7);
+        } catch (...) {
+          PKCS7_free(p7);
+          throw;
+        }
+      }
+      
+      ~PKCS7() {
+        for (X509List::iterator it(_certs.begin()); it!=_certs.end(); ++it)
+          delete *it;
+      }
+
+      const X509List& certs() const {
+        return _certs;
+      }
+      
+    private:
+      X509List _certs;
+  };
+
   //============================================================================
   class BIO {