diff --git a/doc/api/deprecations.md b/doc/api/deprecations.md
index 36a5b3f1da728d..9c983319d3379f 100644
--- a/doc/api/deprecations.md
+++ b/doc/api/deprecations.md
@@ -2184,6 +2184,22 @@ The [Legacy URL API][] is deprecated. This includes [`url.format()`][],
 [`url.parse()`][], [`url.resolve()`][], and the [legacy `urlObject`][]. Please
 use the [WHATWG URL API][] instead.
 
+<a id="DEP00XX"></a>
+### DEP00XX: Native crypto handles
+<!-- YAML
+changes:
+  - version: REPLACEME
+    pr-url: https://github.com/nodejs/node/pull/22747
+    description: Runtime deprecation.
+-->
+
+Type: Runtime
+
+Previous versions of Node.js exposed handles to internal native objects through
+the `_handle` property of the `Cipher`, `Decipher`, `DiffieHellman`,
+`DiffieHellmanGroup`, `ECDH`, `Hash`, `Hmac`, `Sign`, and `Verify` classes.
+Using the `_handle` property to access the native object is deprecated because
+improper use of the native object can lead to crashing the application.
 
 [`--pending-deprecation`]: cli.html#cli_pending_deprecation
 [`Buffer.allocUnsafeSlow(size)`]: buffer.html#buffer_class_method_buffer_allocunsafeslow_size
diff --git a/lib/internal/crypto/cipher.js b/lib/internal/crypto/cipher.js
index 4ca4171c1ae2d0..51dd3cea86606d 100644
--- a/lib/internal/crypto/cipher.js
+++ b/lib/internal/crypto/cipher.js
@@ -14,6 +14,8 @@ const { validateString } = require('internal/validators');
 
 const {
   getDefaultEncoding,
+  kHandle,
+  legacyNativeHandle,
   toBuf
 } = require('internal/crypto/util');
 
@@ -73,11 +75,11 @@ function getUIntOption(options, key) {
 function createCipherBase(cipher, credential, options, decipher, iv) {
   const authTagLength = getUIntOption(options, 'authTagLength');
 
-  this._handle = new CipherBase(decipher);
+  legacyNativeHandle(this, new CipherBase(decipher));
   if (iv === undefined) {
-    this._handle.init(cipher, credential, authTagLength);
+    this[kHandle].init(cipher, credential, authTagLength);
   } else {
-    this._handle.initiv(cipher, credential, iv, authTagLength);
+    this[kHandle].initiv(cipher, credential, iv, authTagLength);
   }
   this._decoder = null;
 
@@ -130,13 +132,13 @@ function Cipher(cipher, password, options) {
 inherits(Cipher, LazyTransform);
 
 Cipher.prototype._transform = function _transform(chunk, encoding, callback) {
-  this.push(this._handle.update(chunk, encoding));
+  this.push(this[kHandle].update(chunk, encoding));
   callback();
 };
 
 Cipher.prototype._flush = function _flush(callback) {
   try {
-    this.push(this._handle.final());
+    this.push(this[kHandle].final());
   } catch (e) {
     callback(e);
     return;
@@ -157,7 +159,7 @@ Cipher.prototype.update = function update(data, inputEncoding, outputEncoding) {
     );
   }
 
-  const ret = this._handle.update(data, inputEncoding);
+  const ret = this[kHandle].update(data, inputEncoding);
 
   if (outputEncoding && outputEncoding !== 'buffer') {
     this._decoder = getDecoder(this._decoder, outputEncoding);
@@ -170,7 +172,7 @@ Cipher.prototype.update = function update(data, inputEncoding, outputEncoding) {
 
 Cipher.prototype.final = function final(outputEncoding) {
   outputEncoding = outputEncoding || getDefaultEncoding();
-  const ret = this._handle.final();
+  const ret = this[kHandle].final();
 
   if (outputEncoding && outputEncoding !== 'buffer') {
     this._decoder = getDecoder(this._decoder, outputEncoding);
@@ -182,13 +184,13 @@ Cipher.prototype.final = function final(outputEncoding) {
 
 
 Cipher.prototype.setAutoPadding = function setAutoPadding(ap) {
-  if (!this._handle.setAutoPadding(!!ap))
+  if (!this[kHandle].setAutoPadding(!!ap))
     throw new ERR_CRYPTO_INVALID_STATE('setAutoPadding');
   return this;
 };
 
 Cipher.prototype.getAuthTag = function getAuthTag() {
-  const ret = this._handle.getAuthTag();
+  const ret = this[kHandle].getAuthTag();
   if (ret === undefined)
     throw new ERR_CRYPTO_INVALID_STATE('getAuthTag');
   return ret;
@@ -201,7 +203,7 @@ function setAuthTag(tagbuf) {
                                    ['Buffer', 'TypedArray', 'DataView'],
                                    tagbuf);
   }
-  if (!this._handle.setAuthTag(tagbuf))
+  if (!this[kHandle].setAuthTag(tagbuf))
     throw new ERR_CRYPTO_INVALID_STATE('setAuthTag');
   return this;
 }
@@ -221,7 +223,7 @@ Cipher.prototype.setAAD = function setAAD(aadbuf, options) {
   }
 
   const plaintextLength = getUIntOption(options, 'plaintextLength');
-  if (!this._handle.setAAD(aadbuf, plaintextLength))
+  if (!this[kHandle].setAAD(aadbuf, plaintextLength))
     throw new ERR_CRYPTO_INVALID_STATE('setAAD');
   return this;
 };
diff --git a/lib/internal/crypto/diffiehellman.js b/lib/internal/crypto/diffiehellman.js
index 1daf5df905f8ac..02142d4b1f0b2d 100644
--- a/lib/internal/crypto/diffiehellman.js
+++ b/lib/internal/crypto/diffiehellman.js
@@ -10,6 +10,8 @@ const { validateString } = require('internal/validators');
 const { isArrayBufferView } = require('internal/util/types');
 const {
   getDefaultEncoding,
+  kHandle,
+  legacyNativeHandle,
   toBuf
 } = require('internal/crypto/util');
 const {
@@ -59,10 +61,10 @@ function DiffieHellman(sizeOrKey, keyEncoding, generator, genEncoding) {
   else if (typeof generator !== 'number')
     generator = toBuf(generator, genEncoding);
 
-  this._handle = new _DiffieHellman(sizeOrKey, generator);
+  legacyNativeHandle(this, new _DiffieHellman(sizeOrKey, generator));
   Object.defineProperty(this, 'verifyError', {
     enumerable: true,
-    value: this._handle.verifyError,
+    value: this[kHandle].verifyError,
     writable: false
   });
 }
@@ -71,10 +73,10 @@ function DiffieHellman(sizeOrKey, keyEncoding, generator, genEncoding) {
 function DiffieHellmanGroup(name) {
   if (!(this instanceof DiffieHellmanGroup))
     return new DiffieHellmanGroup(name);
-  this._handle = new _DiffieHellmanGroup(name);
+  legacyNativeHandle(this, new _DiffieHellmanGroup(name));
   Object.defineProperty(this, 'verifyError', {
     enumerable: true,
-    value: this._handle.verifyError,
+    value: this[kHandle].verifyError,
     writable: false
   });
 }
@@ -85,7 +87,7 @@ DiffieHellmanGroup.prototype.generateKeys =
     dhGenerateKeys;
 
 function dhGenerateKeys(encoding) {
-  const keys = this._handle.generateKeys();
+  const keys = this[kHandle].generateKeys();
   encoding = encoding || getDefaultEncoding();
   return encode(keys, encoding);
 }
@@ -99,7 +101,7 @@ function dhComputeSecret(key, inEnc, outEnc) {
   const encoding = getDefaultEncoding();
   inEnc = inEnc || encoding;
   outEnc = outEnc || encoding;
-  const ret = this._handle.computeSecret(toBuf(key, inEnc));
+  const ret = this[kHandle].computeSecret(toBuf(key, inEnc));
   if (typeof ret === 'string')
     throw new ERR_CRYPTO_ECDH_INVALID_PUBLIC_KEY();
   return encode(ret, outEnc);
@@ -111,7 +113,7 @@ DiffieHellmanGroup.prototype.getPrime =
     dhGetPrime;
 
 function dhGetPrime(encoding) {
-  const prime = this._handle.getPrime();
+  const prime = this[kHandle].getPrime();
   encoding = encoding || getDefaultEncoding();
   return encode(prime, encoding);
 }
@@ -122,7 +124,7 @@ DiffieHellmanGroup.prototype.getGenerator =
     dhGetGenerator;
 
 function dhGetGenerator(encoding) {
-  const generator = this._handle.getGenerator();
+  const generator = this[kHandle].getGenerator();
   encoding = encoding || getDefaultEncoding();
   return encode(generator, encoding);
 }
@@ -133,7 +135,7 @@ DiffieHellmanGroup.prototype.getPublicKey =
     dhGetPublicKey;
 
 function dhGetPublicKey(encoding) {
-  const key = this._handle.getPublicKey();
+  const key = this[kHandle].getPublicKey();
   encoding = encoding || getDefaultEncoding();
   return encode(key, encoding);
 }
@@ -144,7 +146,7 @@ DiffieHellmanGroup.prototype.getPrivateKey =
     dhGetPrivateKey;
 
 function dhGetPrivateKey(encoding) {
-  const key = this._handle.getPrivateKey();
+  const key = this[kHandle].getPrivateKey();
   encoding = encoding || getDefaultEncoding();
   return encode(key, encoding);
 }
@@ -152,14 +154,14 @@ function dhGetPrivateKey(encoding) {
 
 DiffieHellman.prototype.setPublicKey = function setPublicKey(key, encoding) {
   encoding = encoding || getDefaultEncoding();
-  this._handle.setPublicKey(toBuf(key, encoding));
+  this[kHandle].setPublicKey(toBuf(key, encoding));
   return this;
 };
 
 
 DiffieHellman.prototype.setPrivateKey = function setPrivateKey(key, encoding) {
   encoding = encoding || getDefaultEncoding();
-  this._handle.setPrivateKey(toBuf(key, encoding));
+  this[kHandle].setPrivateKey(toBuf(key, encoding));
   return this;
 };
 
@@ -169,7 +171,7 @@ function ECDH(curve) {
     return new ECDH(curve);
 
   validateString(curve, 'curve');
-  this._handle = new _ECDH(curve);
+  legacyNativeHandle(this, new _ECDH(curve));
 }
 
 ECDH.prototype.computeSecret = DiffieHellman.prototype.computeSecret;
@@ -178,14 +180,14 @@ ECDH.prototype.setPublicKey = DiffieHellman.prototype.setPublicKey;
 ECDH.prototype.getPrivateKey = DiffieHellman.prototype.getPrivateKey;
 
 ECDH.prototype.generateKeys = function generateKeys(encoding, format) {
-  this._handle.generateKeys();
+  this[kHandle].generateKeys();
 
   return this.getPublicKey(encoding, format);
 };
 
 ECDH.prototype.getPublicKey = function getPublicKey(encoding, format) {
   const f = getFormat(format);
-  const key = this._handle.getPublicKey(f);
+  const key = this[kHandle].getPublicKey(f);
   encoding = encoding || getDefaultEncoding();
   return encode(key, encoding);
 };
diff --git a/lib/internal/crypto/hash.js b/lib/internal/crypto/hash.js
index 7127d4d7efb17a..6522a19509f353 100644
--- a/lib/internal/crypto/hash.js
+++ b/lib/internal/crypto/hash.js
@@ -7,6 +7,8 @@ const {
 
 const {
   getDefaultEncoding,
+  kHandle,
+  legacyNativeHandle,
   toBuf
 } = require('internal/crypto/util');
 
@@ -30,7 +32,7 @@ function Hash(algorithm, options) {
   if (!(this instanceof Hash))
     return new Hash(algorithm, options);
   validateString(algorithm, 'algorithm');
-  this._handle = new _Hash(algorithm);
+  legacyNativeHandle(this, new _Hash(algorithm));
   this[kState] = {
     [kFinalized]: false
   };
@@ -40,12 +42,12 @@ function Hash(algorithm, options) {
 inherits(Hash, LazyTransform);
 
 Hash.prototype._transform = function _transform(chunk, encoding, callback) {
-  this._handle.update(chunk, encoding);
+  this[kHandle].update(chunk, encoding);
   callback();
 };
 
 Hash.prototype._flush = function _flush(callback) {
-  this.push(this._handle.digest());
+  this.push(this[kHandle].digest());
   callback();
 };
 
@@ -59,7 +61,7 @@ Hash.prototype.update = function update(data, encoding) {
                                    ['string', 'TypedArray', 'DataView'], data);
   }
 
-  if (!this._handle.update(data, encoding || getDefaultEncoding()))
+  if (!this[kHandle].update(data, encoding || getDefaultEncoding()))
     throw new ERR_CRYPTO_HASH_UPDATE_FAILED();
   return this;
 };
@@ -74,7 +76,7 @@ Hash.prototype.digest = function digest(outputEncoding) {
     throw new ERR_CRYPTO_HASH_DIGEST_NO_UTF16();
 
   // Explicit conversion for backward compatibility.
-  const ret = this._handle.digest(`${outputEncoding}`);
+  const ret = this[kHandle].digest(`${outputEncoding}`);
   state[kFinalized] = true;
   return ret;
 };
@@ -88,8 +90,8 @@ function Hmac(hmac, key, options) {
     throw new ERR_INVALID_ARG_TYPE('key',
                                    ['string', 'TypedArray', 'DataView'], key);
   }
-  this._handle = new _Hmac();
-  this._handle.init(hmac, toBuf(key));
+  legacyNativeHandle(this, new _Hmac());
+  this[kHandle].init(hmac, toBuf(key));
   this[kState] = {
     [kFinalized]: false
   };
@@ -112,7 +114,7 @@ Hmac.prototype.digest = function digest(outputEncoding) {
   }
 
   // Explicit conversion for backward compatibility.
-  const ret = this._handle.digest(`${outputEncoding}`);
+  const ret = this[kHandle].digest(`${outputEncoding}`);
   state[kFinalized] = true;
   return ret;
 };
diff --git a/lib/internal/crypto/sig.js b/lib/internal/crypto/sig.js
index fd2db9016f4b5d..5a1787d00f3639 100644
--- a/lib/internal/crypto/sig.js
+++ b/lib/internal/crypto/sig.js
@@ -13,6 +13,8 @@ const {
 } = process.binding('constants').crypto;
 const {
   getDefaultEncoding,
+  kHandle,
+  legacyNativeHandle,
   toBuf,
   validateArrayBufferView,
 } = require('internal/crypto/util');
@@ -23,8 +25,8 @@ function Sign(algorithm, options) {
   if (!(this instanceof Sign))
     return new Sign(algorithm, options);
   validateString(algorithm, 'algorithm');
-  this._handle = new _Sign();
-  this._handle.init(algorithm);
+  legacyNativeHandle(this, new _Sign());
+  this[kHandle].init(algorithm);
 
   Writable.call(this, options);
 }
@@ -40,7 +42,7 @@ Sign.prototype.update = function update(data, encoding) {
   encoding = encoding || getDefaultEncoding();
   data = validateArrayBufferView(toBuf(data, encoding),
                                  'data');
-  this._handle.update(data);
+  this[kHandle].update(data);
   return this;
 };
 
@@ -78,7 +80,7 @@ Sign.prototype.sign = function sign(options, encoding) {
 
   key = validateArrayBufferView(key, 'key');
 
-  var ret = this._handle.sign(key, passphrase, rsaPadding, pssSaltLength);
+  var ret = this[kHandle].sign(key, passphrase, rsaPadding, pssSaltLength);
 
   encoding = encoding || getDefaultEncoding();
   if (encoding && encoding !== 'buffer')
@@ -92,8 +94,8 @@ function Verify(algorithm, options) {
   if (!(this instanceof Verify))
     return new Verify(algorithm, options);
   validateString(algorithm, 'algorithm');
-  this._handle = new _Verify();
-  this._handle.init(algorithm);
+  legacyNativeHandle(this, new _Verify());
+  this[kHandle].init(algorithm);
 
   Writable.call(this, options);
 }
@@ -117,7 +119,7 @@ Verify.prototype.verify = function verify(options, signature, sigEncoding) {
   signature = validateArrayBufferView(toBuf(signature, sigEncoding),
                                       'signature');
 
-  return this._handle.verify(key, signature, rsaPadding, pssSaltLength);
+  return this[kHandle].verify(key, signature, rsaPadding, pssSaltLength);
 };
 
 module.exports = {
diff --git a/lib/internal/crypto/util.js b/lib/internal/crypto/util.js
index 19d18be5b003c8..7ff25be186ba4a 100644
--- a/lib/internal/crypto/util.js
+++ b/lib/internal/crypto/util.js
@@ -22,12 +22,28 @@ const { validateString } = require('internal/validators');
 const { Buffer } = require('buffer');
 const {
   cachedResult,
+  deprecate,
   filterDuplicateStrings
 } = require('internal/util');
 const {
   isArrayBufferView
 } = require('internal/util/types');
 
+const kHandle = Symbol('kHandle');
+
+function legacyNativeHandle(obj, handle) {
+  obj[kHandle] = handle;
+  Object.defineProperty(obj, '_handle', {
+    get: deprecate(() => handle,
+                   `${obj.constructor.name}._handle is deprecated. Use the ` +
+                   'public API instead.', 'DEP00XX'),
+    set: deprecate((h) => obj[kHandle] = handle = h,
+                   `${obj.constructor.name}._handle is deprecated. Use the ` +
+                   'public API instead.', 'DEP00XX'),
+    enumerable: false
+  });
+}
+
 var defaultEncoding = 'buffer';
 
 function setDefaultEncoding(val) {
@@ -101,6 +117,8 @@ module.exports = {
   getCurves,
   getDefaultEncoding,
   getHashes,
+  kHandle,
+  legacyNativeHandle,
   setDefaultEncoding,
   setEngine,
   timingSafeEqual,