They use a unique private\/public key to ensure the security of information exchanged over the Internet. Overall, this certificate identifies and validates digital communications and communicators.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Now, a misconception is very popular that the process of employing digital certification is very complex. But this is not true! In fact, it’s very sorted!<\/p>\n\n\n\n
All you need to do is purchase it from a CA or certificate authority like Certera<\/strong><\/a> and install it on the endpoint, like a device, server, or website. Make sure to renew the cert once it expires, so keep an eye on that as well.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Certificates are first issued, then used, and finally expire, so they have a well-defined lifecycle. The process of managing all of these is known as CLM or Certificate Lifecycle Management.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Before we explain further, let\u2019s first understand why you need a certificate lifecycle management system<\/a>.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n With the emergence of digital transformation, nearly every enterprise process is moving to the cloud. This has led to a surge in connected devices, from cloud applications to IoT devices. Managing all of these can be a typical task, as there are hundreds or even thousands of certificates, each with its own unique properties.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Manual methods like using spreadsheets become impractical due to the volume and complexity. Here comes the role of a certificate management system for managing all these with ease.<\/p>\n\n\n\n It consists of five steps, as explained below.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n This marks the first stage of CLM, i.e., certificate request and enrolment phase. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Here, a user or device requests a cert from CA by providing the below information<\/strong>:<\/p>\n\n\n\n Disclaimer: <\/strong>CA can also ask for additional information based on the requested certificate type.<\/p>\n\n\n\n After submitting the above information, the following details must also be provided for digital signature creation.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n The public key, along with the private key, is created by Cryptographic Service Provider (CSP) and forwarded to the CA.<\/p>\n\n\n\n After the CA receives the request, it decrypts the digital signature using the public key, calculates a hash, and verifies the same. All the above information will also be verified according to proper rules and regulations for validation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n If the Validation procedure is successful, the digitally signed public key will be sent to the user. Now comes their role of storing it on the server and taking note of its destination.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Now, the user uses the certificate to interact with devices, browsers, and websites. Then, the monitoring system generates usage data and provides alerts regarding certificate expiry.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Monitoring & reporting plays a very important role in the whole Certificate Lifecycle Management. It helps administrators with several queries, like:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Overall, this stage proactively avoids outages in the whole process.<\/p>\n\n\n\n After the certificate expiry date comes near or if it expires, the CA or certificate holder initiates the renewal process. This process can be automated as well. Remember, it should be done in a timely to avoid potential connectivity problems.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The holder gets a new certificate after the cert renewal. Similar to the original one, it comes with a digital stamp from the CA to verify its legitimacy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n This step is completely subjective and depends on the particular situation, like<\/p>\n\n\n\n As explained above, certificate management involves analyzing and monitoring all digital certificates deployed by the Certificate Authority. <\/p>\n\n\n\n This concept relates to PKI to a great extent. Read on to find out how!<\/p>\n\n\n\n Public key infrastructure (PKI)<\/a> is an underlying framework that establishes secure internet connections through public key encryption. In layman’s terms, PKI refers to any software, policy, or procedure that helps configure and manage certificates and keys.<\/p>\n\n\n\n It establishes the identification of endpoints and encrypts the data flow via the network\u2019s communication channels. (as shown above)<\/p>\n\n\n\n PKI architecture exists in multiple forms:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n This includes Certificate Authorities like Certera, DigiCert, Sectigo, Entrust, and others that issue digital certificates that are recognized and publicly trusted by clients and operating systems. Here, the PKI architecture is in full control of the CA.<\/p>\n\n\n\n If you want to secure internal assets or networks, then a private CA<\/a> is the best option.<\/p>\n\n\n\n These certs enable encryption for a variety of use cases. Some of the common categories include:<\/p>\n\n\n\n It is a cryptographic mathematical key that is available and is used for encrypting or verifying digital signatures.<\/p>\n\n\n\n It is kept secret by the owner and used to decrypt a message encrypted by the public key.<\/p>\n\n\n\n It is the main component that manages all aspects of PKI certificate management, including issuing, revoking, and managing digital certificates. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Do you know there are intermediate CAs as well? Here\u2019s a quick overview.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Still, in 2024, the management of certificates is an under-recognized problem for many companies. The risks of poor cert management cannot be ignored or overstated; doing so can create the following issues.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Just like other things, certificates also have expiration dates and failing to review them on time can lead to security vulnerabilities.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The next big concern is tracking and managing certificate lifecycles across numerous systems and devices without proper oversight.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Incorrectly configured certificates can lead to potential issues, such as weak encryption settings, misused certificate authorities (CAs), and compatibility problems.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Recommended:<\/strong> What is Cryptographic Failure? Real-life Examples, Prevention, Mitigation<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n For instance, if a cert gets misconfigured, cybercriminals can hack the sensitive data, resulting in inaccessible services or displaying warning messages to users.<\/p>\n\n\n\n This is the most significant risk, especially in large corporations where maintaining visibility into all issued certificates and their usage is difficult. <\/p>\n\n\n\n In fact, 71% of organizations are not aware of how many certificates exactly they have<\/em>. As a result, without centralized monitoring, unauthorized access can lead to security breaches.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Recommended:<\/strong> What is SSL Certificate Monitoring? Explained<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n Compliance requirements (e.g., PCI DSS, HIPAA) often mandate strict controls over certificate management. Failure to comply or follow regulations can result in legal consequences, fines, and damage to brand reputation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n For example, the healthcare industry has HIPAA requirements for protecting data and violating rules can result in fines of up to $50,000.<\/p>\n\n\n\n 73% of organizations experience unanticipated downtime or outages <\/a>due to poor digital certificate management. These disruptions can have significant, unfortunate impacts on businesses, causing financial losses, reputation damage, and customer dissatisfaction.<\/p>\n\n\n\n This risk is something that is outside the control of an organization, but we\u2019ll say indirectly it is!<\/p>\n\n\n\n How? If the certificate authority from which you buy the certificate gets compromised, it can undermine the security of all certificates issued by that CA.<\/p>\n\n\n\n That’s why it’s your responsibility to select trusted CAs<\/a>, like Certera, that implement proper mechanisms to detect compromises and potential breaches.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The private keys associated with certificates are valuable. If a private key is compromised or leaked, it can be used for unauthorized access or man-in-the-middle attacks<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Reading the above blog, it is pretty clear that managing certificates is not a simple task, but the process can be eased by the following CLM best practices.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The effectiveness of cryptography is decided by the crypto standards. With new cyber threats continuously evolving, standards are also being updated to combat them. <\/p>\n\n\n\n The commonly recommended encryption algorithms<\/a> include AES (Advanced Encryption Standard), RSA (Rivest-Shamir-Adleman), and Hashing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Follow the below tips to implement strong crypto standards:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Maintaining certificate inventory is one of the best and most essential CLM best practices. Here\u2019s how to do it!<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n This practice is also necessary for adhering to compliance.<\/p>\n\n\n\n By automating the provisioning and renewal of certificates, the chances of manual errors are reduced and timely updates can be ensured. Use tools and scripts to automate certificate issuance<\/a>, renewal, and deployment processes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n OV SSL<\/a> and EV SSL Certificates<\/a> offer better authentication and protection against threats. This helps build trust among users that you care about their data privacy and can\u2019t put that at risk.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The best part is that it provides control over who can issue certificates for your properties, and you\u2019ll have greater visibility.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Prevention is always better than a cure! Right? The same applies here as well!<\/p>\n\n\n\n Why wait for a certificate to get compromised? Instead, run a weekly discovery scan and monitor the CT logs for the domains. <\/p>\n\n\n\n If you find any issue, report it to the certificate authority. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Always maintain certificate management procedures documentation, including policies, processes, and controls. <\/p>\n\n\n\n No matter if you have established automated processes for certificate lifecycle management, they need to be continuously monitored. Set up a monitoring system that provides every detail about the certificate, like its expiry and issuance date.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Do not forget to establish a warning system that alerts the owner about impending issues that require their attention.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Recommended:<\/strong> PKI Certificate Management: Avoid Common Pitfalls & Embrace Best Practices<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n To conclude, managing digital certificates with precision and ease is crucial. It involves overseeing digital certificates from the time they’re issued until they’re retired. Proper CLM ensures that certificates are valid, renewed when necessary, and revoked if compromised.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Manage certificates effectively and maintain your organization’s security and integrity. Certera offers multiple Certificate Managers<\/a> from multiple vendors such as DigiCert<\/a>, Sectigo<\/a>, and Comodo<\/a> for hassle-free and centralized certificate management. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"What is Certificate Lifecycle Management?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Certificate Request & Enrolment<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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Issuance and Provisioning<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Certificate Usage<\/h4>\n\n\n\n
Certificate Monitoring & Reporting<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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Certificate Expiration & Renewal<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Retirement or Revoked<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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Certificate Management and PKI Architecture<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
What is PKI or Public Key Infrastructure?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
How does PKI Make Online Interactions Secure?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
![\"How](\"https:\/\/certera.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/04\/how-pki-public-key-infrastructure-works-jpg.webp\")
<\/figure>\n\n\n\nPublicly Trusted PKI<\/h4>\n\n\n\n
Privately Trusted PKI<\/h4>\n\n\n\n
Main Elements or Components of Public Key Infrastructure<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Digital Certificates: <\/h4>\n\n\n\n
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Public Key: <\/h4>\n\n\n\n
Private Key:<\/h4>\n\n\n\n
Certificate Authority (CA): <\/h4>\n\n\n\n
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Most Significant Risks in Certificate Management<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Expiration & Renewal Timeline<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Certificate Misconfiguration<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Lack of Visibility and Control<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Compliance and Governance Challenges<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Downtime or Outages<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Certificate Authority (CA) Compromise<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Key Compromise<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Certificate Lifecycle Management Best Practices<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Implement Strong Crypto Standards<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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Maintain a Certificate Inventory<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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Automate Provisioning & Renewal<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Use Organization Validation (OV) or Extended Validation (EV) SSL\u202f\u202f<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Perform Weekly Network Scan\u202f\u202f<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Maintain Certificate Management Procedures Documentation<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
The Bottom Line<\/h2>\n\n\n\n