1. A computer-implemented method comprising: receiving, by a client computing device, a secure content catalog that indicates a set of content objects and their corresponding digests, wherein the catalog is digitally signed with a private key of a content producing device of the catalog; verifying the content producing device of the catalog based on a public key of the content producing device; constructing an interest for a first content object based on the catalog, wherein the interest includes a hierarchically structured variable length identifier which comprises contiguous name components ordered from a most general level to a most specific level and the corresponding digest for the first content object; and in response to receiving the first content object, verifying the first content object by comparing a hash of the first content object with the corresponding digest included in the first content object, wherein the first content object is transmitted by the content producing device, wherein verifying the first content object involves using, by the client computing device and an intermediate router, the hash comparison in place of verifying a signature of the content producing device of the first content object, and wherein verifying the first content object causes the content producing device to avoid signing the first content object, and further causes the client computing device and the intermediate router to avoid verifying a signature of the content producing device of the first content object, facilitating efficient verification of content objects indicated in the signed catalog.