diff --git a/src/SAML2/XML/SignedElementTrait.php b/src/SAML2/XML/SignedElementTrait.php
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..e6dad802b
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/SAML2/XML/SignedElementTrait.php
@@ -0,0 +1,333 @@
+<?php
+
+declare(strict_types=1);
+
+namespace SimpleSAML\SAML2\XML;
+
+use DOMElement;
+use SimpleSAML\Assert\Assert;
+use SimpleSAML\XML\DOMDocumentFactory;
+use SimpleSAML\XML\Exception\TooManyElementsException;
+use SimpleSAML\XMLSecurity\Alg\Signature\SignatureAlgorithmFactory;
+use SimpleSAML\XMLSecurity\Alg\Signature\SignatureAlgorithmInterface;
+use SimpleSAML\XMLSecurity\Constants as C;
+use SimpleSAML\XMLSecurity\CryptoEncoding\PEM;
+use SimpleSAML\XMLSecurity\Exception\InvalidArgumentException;
+use SimpleSAML\XMLSecurity\Exception\NoSignatureFoundException;
+use SimpleSAML\XMLSecurity\Exception\ReferenceValidationFailedException;
+use SimpleSAML\XMLSecurity\Exception\RuntimeException;
+use SimpleSAML\XMLSecurity\Exception\SignatureVerificationFailedException;
+use SimpleSAML\XMLSecurity\Key;
+use SimpleSAML\XMLSecurity\Key\KeyInterface;
+use SimpleSAML\XMLSecurity\Utils\XML;
+use SimpleSAML\XMLSecurity\Utils\XPath;
+use SimpleSAML\XMLSecurity\XML\ds\Reference;
+use SimpleSAML\XMLSecurity\XML\ds\Signature;
+use SimpleSAML\XMLSecurity\XML\ds\SignedInfo;
+use SimpleSAML\XMLSecurity\XML\ds\X509Certificate;
+use SimpleSAML\XMLSecurity\XML\ds\X509Data;
+
+use function array_pop;
+use function base64_decode;
+use function hash;
+use function hash_equals;
+use function in_array;
+
+/**
+ * Helper trait for processing signed elements.
+ *
+ * @package simplesamlphp/xml-security
+ */
+trait SignedElementTrait
+{
+    use CanonicalizableElementTrait;
+
+    /**
+     * The signature of this element.
+     *
+     * @var \SimpleSAML\XMLSecurity\XML\ds\Signature|null $signature
+     */
+    protected ?Signature $signature = null;
+
+    /**
+     * The key that successfully verifies the signature in this object.
+     *
+     * @var \SimpleSAML\XMLSecurity\Key\KeyInterface|null
+     */
+    private ?KeyInterface $validatingKey = null;
+
+
+    /**
+     * Get the signature element of this object.
+     *
+     * @return \SimpleSAML\XMLSecurity\XML\ds\Signature
+     */
+    public function getSignature(): ?Signature
+    {
+        return $this->signature;
+    }
+
+
+    /**
+     * Initialize a signed element from XML.
+     *
+     * @param \SimpleSAML\XMLSecurity\XML\ds\Signature $signature The ds:Signature object
+     */
+    protected function setSignature(Signature $signature): void
+    {
+        /**
+         * Signatures MUST contain a single <ds:Reference> containing a same-document reference to the ID
+         * attribute value of the root element of the assertion or protocol message being signed. For example, if the
+         * ID attribute value is "foo", then the URI attribute in the <ds:Reference> element MUST be "#foo".
+         */
+
+        $references = $signature->getSignedInfo()->getReferences();
+        Assert::count($references, 1, "A signature needs to have exactly one Reference, %d found.");
+
+        $reference = array_pop($references);
+        Assert::notNull($reference->getURI(), "URI attribute not found.");
+
+        Assert::same($reference->getURI(), '#' . $this->getID());
+
+        $this->signature = $signature;
+    }
+
+
+    /**
+     * Make sure the given Reference points to the original XML given.
+     */
+    private function validateReferenceUri(Reference $reference, DOMElement $xml): void
+    {
+        if (
+            in_array(
+                $this->signature->getSignedInfo()->getCanonicalizationMethod()->getAlgorithm(),
+                [
+                    C::C14N_INCLUSIVE_WITH_COMMENTS,
+                    C::C14N_EXCLUSIVE_WITH_COMMENTS,
+                ],
+            )
+            && !$reference->isXPointer()
+        ) { // canonicalization with comments used, but reference wasn't an xpointer!
+            throw new ReferenceValidationFailedException('Invalid reference for canonicalization algorithm.');
+        }
+
+        $id = $this->getId();
+        $uri = $reference->getURI();
+
+        if (empty($uri) || $uri === '#xpointer(/)') { // same-document reference
+            Assert::true(
+                $xml->isSameNode($xml->ownerDocument->documentElement),
+                'Cannot use document reference when element is not the root of the document.',
+                ReferenceValidationFailedException::class,
+            );
+        } else { // short-name or scheme-based xpointer
+            Assert::notEmpty(
+                $id,
+                'Reference points to an element, but given element does not have an ID.',
+                ReferenceValidationFailedException::class,
+            );
+            Assert::oneOf(
+                $uri,
+                [
+                    '#' . $id,
+                    '#xpointer(id(' . $id . '))',
+                ],
+                'Reference does not point to given element.',
+                ReferenceValidationFailedException::class,
+            );
+        }
+    }
+
+
+    /**
+     * @param \SimpleSAML\XMLSecurity\XML\ds\SignedInfo $signedInfo
+     * @return \SimpleSAML\XMLSecurity\XML\SignedElementInterface
+     */
+    private function validateReference(SignedInfo $signedInfo): SignedElementInterface
+    {
+        $references = $signedInfo->getReferences();
+        Assert::count(
+            $references,
+            1,
+            'Exactly one reference expected in signature.',
+            TooManyElementsException::class,
+        );
+        $reference = array_pop($references);
+
+        $xml = $this->getOriginalXML();
+        $this->validateReferenceUri($reference, $xml);
+
+        $xp = XPath::getXPath($xml->ownerDocument);
+        $sigNode = XPath::xpQuery($xml, 'child::ds:Signature', $xp);
+        Assert::minCount($sigNode, 1, NoSignatureFoundException::class);
+        Assert::maxCount($sigNode, 1, 'More than one signature found in object.', TooManyElementsException::class);
+        $xml->removeChild($sigNode[0]);
+
+        $data = XML::processTransforms($reference->getTransforms(), $xml);
+        $algo = $reference->getDigestMethod()->getAlgorithm();
+        Assert::keyExists(
+            C::$DIGEST_ALGORITHMS,
+            $algo,
+            'Unsupported digest method "' . $algo . '"',
+            InvalidArgumentException::class,
+        );
+
+        $digest = hash(C::$DIGEST_ALGORITHMS[$algo], $data, true);
+        if (hash_equals($digest, base64_decode($reference->getDigestValue()->getRawContent(), true)) !== true) {
+            throw new SignatureVerificationFailedException('Failed to verify signature.');
+        }
+
+        $verifiedXml = DOMDocumentFactory::fromString($data);
+        return static::fromXML($verifiedXml->documentElement);
+    }
+
+
+    /**
+     * Verify this element against a public key.
+     *
+     * true is returned on success, false is returned if we don't have any
+     * signature we can verify. An exception is thrown if the signature
+     * validation fails.
+     *
+     * @param \SimpleSAML\XMLSecurity\Alg\Signature\SignatureAlgorithmInterface|null $verifier The verifier to use to
+     * verify the signature. If null, attempt to verify it with the KeyInfo information in the signature.
+     *
+     * @return \SimpleSAML\XMLSecurity\XML\SignedElementInterface The Signed element if it was verified.
+     */
+    private function verifyInternal(SignatureAlgorithmInterface $verifier): SignedElementInterface
+    {
+        /** @var \SimpleSAML\XMLSecurity\XML\ds\Signature $this->signature */
+        $signedInfo = $this->signature->getSignedInfo();
+        $c14nAlg = $signedInfo->getCanonicalizationMethod()->getAlgorithm();
+
+        // the canonicalized ds:SignedInfo element (plaintext)
+        $c14nSignedInfo = $signedInfo->canonicalize($c14nAlg);
+        $ref = $this->validateReference(
+            SignedInfo::fromXML(DOMDocumentFactory::fromString($c14nSignedInfo)->documentElement),
+        );
+
+        if (
+            $verifier?->verify(
+                $c14nSignedInfo, // the canonicalized ds:SignedInfo element (plaintext)
+                base64_decode($this->signature->getSignatureValue()->getRawContent(), true), // the actual signature
+            )
+        ) {
+            /*
+             * validateReference() returns an object of the same class using this trait. This means the validatingKey
+             * property is available, and we can set it on the newly created object because we are in the same class,
+             * even thought the property itself is private.
+             */
+            $ref->validatingKey = $verifier->getKey();
+            return $ref;
+        }
+        throw new SignatureVerificationFailedException('Failed to verify signature.');
+    }
+
+
+    /**
+     * Retrieve certificates that sign this element.
+     *
+     * @return \SimpleSAML\XMLSecurity\Key\KeyInterface|null The key that successfully verified this signature.
+     */
+    public function getVerifyingKey(): ?KeyInterface
+    {
+        return $this->validatingKey;
+    }
+
+
+    /**
+     * Whether this object is signed or not.
+     *
+     * @return bool
+     */
+    public function isSigned(): bool
+    {
+        return $this->signature !== null;
+    }
+
+
+    /**
+     * Verify the signature in this object.
+     *
+     * If no signature is present, false is returned. If a signature is present,
+     * but cannot be verified, an exception will be thrown.
+     *
+     * @param \SimpleSAML\XMLSecurity\Alg\Signature\SignatureAlgorithmInterface|null $verifier The verifier to use to
+     * verify the signature. If null, attempt to verify it with the KeyInfo information in the signature.
+     * @return \SimpleSAML\XMLSecurity\XML\SignedElementInterface The object processed again from its canonicalised
+     * representation verified by the signature.
+     * @throws \SimpleSAML\XMLSecurity\Exception\NoSignatureFoundException if the object is not signed.
+     * @throws \SimpleSAML\XMLSecurity\Exception\InvalidArgumentException if no key is passed and there is no KeyInfo
+     * in the signature.
+     * @throws \SimpleSAML\XMLSecurity\Exception\RuntimeException if the signature fails to verify.
+     */
+    public function verify(SignatureAlgorithmInterface $verifier = null): SignedElementInterface
+    {
+        if (!$this->isSigned()) {
+            throw new NoSignatureFoundException();
+        }
+
+        $keyInfo = $this->signature?->getKeyInfo();
+        $algId = $this->signature->getSignedInfo()->getSignatureMethod()->getAlgorithm();
+        if ($verifier === null && $keyInfo === null) {
+            throw new InvalidArgumentException('No key or KeyInfo available for signature verification.');
+        }
+
+        if ($verifier !== null) {
+            // verify using given key
+            // TODO: make this part of the condition, so that we support using this verifier to decrypt an encrypted key
+            Assert::eq(
+                $verifier->getAlgorithmId(),
+                $algId,
+                'Algorithm provided in key does not match algorithm used in signature.',
+            );
+
+            return $this->verifyInternal($verifier);
+        }
+
+        $factory = new SignatureAlgorithmFactory();
+        foreach ($keyInfo->getInfo() as $info) {
+            if (!$info instanceof X509Data) {
+                continue;
+            }
+
+            foreach ($info->getData() as $data) {
+                if (!$data instanceof X509Certificate) {
+                    // not supported
+                    continue;
+                }
+
+                // build a valid PEM for the certificate
+                $cert = sprintf(
+                    "-----BEGIN CERTIFICATE-----\n%s\n-----END CERTIFICATE-----",
+                    $data->getRawContent(),
+                );
+
+                $cert = new Key\X509Certificate(PEM::fromString($cert));
+                $verifier = $factory->getAlgorithm($algId, $cert->getPublicKey());
+
+                try {
+                    return $this->verifyInternal($verifier);
+                } catch (RuntimeException) {
+                    // failed to verify with this certificate, try with other, if any
+                }
+            }
+        }
+        throw new SignatureVerificationFailedException('Failed to verify signature.');
+    }
+
+
+    /**
+     * @return string|null
+     */
+    abstract public function getId(): ?string;
+
+
+    /**
+     * Get the list of algorithms that are blacklisted for any signing operation.
+     *
+     * @return string[]|null An array with all algorithm identifiers that are blacklisted, or null if we want to use the
+     * defaults.
+     */
+    abstract public function getBlacklistedAlgorithms(): ?array;
+}
diff --git a/src/SAML2/XML/md/AbstractSignedMdElement.php b/src/SAML2/XML/md/AbstractSignedMdElement.php
index 2f06cc67a..07419daf0 100644
--- a/src/SAML2/XML/md/AbstractSignedMdElement.php
+++ b/src/SAML2/XML/md/AbstractSignedMdElement.php
@@ -6,10 +6,10 @@
 
 use DOMElement;
 use SimpleSAML\SAML2\Compat\ContainerSingleton;
+use SimpleSAML\SAML2\XML\SignedElementTrait;
 use SimpleSAML\XMLSecurity\XML\SignableElementInterface;
 use SimpleSAML\XMLSecurity\XML\SignableElementTrait;
 use SimpleSAML\XMLSecurity\XML\SignedElementInterface;
-use SimpleSAML\XMLSecurity\XML\SignedElementTrait;
 
 use function method_exists;
 
diff --git a/src/SAML2/XML/saml/Assertion.php b/src/SAML2/XML/saml/Assertion.php
index cf52c843b..d646e7b64 100644
--- a/src/SAML2/XML/saml/Assertion.php
+++ b/src/SAML2/XML/saml/Assertion.php
@@ -11,6 +11,7 @@
 use SimpleSAML\SAML2\Constants as C;
 use SimpleSAML\SAML2\Exception\ProtocolViolationException;
 use SimpleSAML\SAML2\Utils\XPath;
+use SimpleSAML\SAML2\XML\SignedElementTrait;
 use SimpleSAML\XML\Exception\InvalidDOMElementException;
 use SimpleSAML\XML\Exception\MissingElementException;
 use SimpleSAML\XML\Exception\TooManyElementsException;
@@ -22,7 +23,6 @@
 use SimpleSAML\XMLSecurity\XML\SignableElementInterface;
 use SimpleSAML\XMLSecurity\XML\SignableElementTrait;
 use SimpleSAML\XMLSecurity\XML\SignedElementInterface;
-use SimpleSAML\XMLSecurity\XML\SignedElementTrait;
 
 use function array_filter;
 use function array_merge;
diff --git a/src/SAML2/XML/samlp/AbstractMessage.php b/src/SAML2/XML/samlp/AbstractMessage.php
index 5b1ce06e6..7fa6627a7 100644
--- a/src/SAML2/XML/samlp/AbstractMessage.php
+++ b/src/SAML2/XML/samlp/AbstractMessage.php
@@ -15,11 +15,11 @@
 use SimpleSAML\SAML2\Utils\XPath;
 use SimpleSAML\SAML2\XML\ExtendableElementTrait;
 use SimpleSAML\SAML2\XML\saml\Issuer;
+use SimpleSAML\SAML2\XML\SignedElementTrait;
 use SimpleSAML\XML\Utils\Random as RandomUtils;
 use SimpleSAML\XMLSecurity\XML\SignableElementInterface;
 use SimpleSAML\XMLSecurity\XML\SignableElementTrait;
 use SimpleSAML\XMLSecurity\XML\SignedElementInterface;
-use SimpleSAML\XMLSecurity\XML\SignedElementTrait;
 
 use function array_pop;