SSL certificates are crucial for securing data transmission between your trang web and its visitors.
Businesses use SSL certificates vĩ đại protect everything from customer transactions on e-commerce sites vĩ đại sensitive data exchanges on corporate portals. When an SSL certificate expires, it can lead vĩ đại severe consequences, including staff disruptions, data breaches, and service disruptions.
High-profile outages, lượt thích those experienced by Starlink and Microsoft Teams, highlight the importance of certificate management. Just one expired SSL certificate can cause significant problems, damaging your business and reputation. Let’s dive into how you can quickly and efficiently recover after an SSL certificate expires.
So your SSL certificate expired—here’s how vĩ đại fix it
Step 1: Find the certificate
First, you need vĩ đại locate the expired SSL certificate. This can be challenging as certificates can reside in multiple places, especially wildcard certificates, which are often used across dozens or even hundreds of servers and locations. Ideally, you have done discovery through scanning and have good visibility into your Public Key Infrastructure (PKI) with all certificates identified. You know when they’re phối vĩ đại expire, where they’re located, what they’re used for, and what systems or assets they’re connected vĩ đại.
However, many organizations lack a complete inventory of their certificates or cryptographic assets. According vĩ đại the Keyfactor’s 2024 PKI and Digital Trust report, 91% of organizations are deploying more certificates than vãn ever, yet only 32% reported using a dedicated certificate lifecycle management tool. If you can’t perform proactive certificate discovery, you can’t protect yourself from unknown certificates.
To find the certificate manually, filter or aggregate logs from your tools and tìm kiếm for events generated by an expired certificate. Once you’ve found the expired certificate, you can take steps vĩ đại renew it and restore functionality.
Step 2: Renew the certificate
Obtain a new Certificate Signing Request (CSR)
To start the renewal process, you need a new Certificate Signing Request (CSR). You can obtain this by contacting your hosting provider or accessing your hosting control panel where your SSL is based. The CSR is essential for creating your new SSL certificate.
Select and purchase an SSL certificate
Next, choose an SSL certificate that meets your validation needs. This step involves selecting the right type of certificate and deciding how long it will be valid for. You’ll need vĩ đại provide specific details about your tên miền and organization vĩ đại ensure the certificate meets your requirements.
Validate your renewal
To validate your renewal, you must complete a Domain Control Validation (DCV). This step confirms your ownership rights vĩ đại the tên miền. You can complete DCV through one of three methods:
- Email validation: Respond vĩ đại an tin nhắn sent vĩ đại an administrative address on your tên miền.
- HTTP validation: Place a specific tệp tin on your trang web server.
- DNS-Based validation: Add a specific DNS record vĩ đại your domain’s DNS settings.
Verify organization validation (OV) and extended validation (EV) certificates
If you have an Organization Validation (OV) or Extended Validation (EV) certificate, additional verification is required. You’ll need vĩ đại resubmit your organization’s documents vĩ đại the CA. This process takes longer than vãn tên miền validation:
- OV Certificates: Verification can take up vĩ đại a week.
- EV Certificates: Verification can take up vĩ đại two weeks.
Completing these steps ensures your SSL certificate is renewed, keeping your trang web secure and maintaining the trust of your users. However, these steps are time-consuming. Automation can help reduce tedious tasks and bring the process down vĩ đại a single click, or even no clicks at all with auto-renewal and provisioning.
Step 3: Install the new SSL certificate on your server
After the renewal phase, your new SSL certificate will be emailed vĩ đại you. This tin nhắn will typically include the certificate tệp tin and detailed instructions on how vĩ đại install it.
The installation process can vary depending on your server type and hosting environment, so sánh it’s crucial vĩ đại follow the specific guidelines provided. Generally, you’ll need vĩ đại upload the certificate vĩ đại your server and configure your trang web server (such as Apache, Nginx, or IIS) vĩ đại use the new certificate.
If you encounter any difficulties during the installation process, liên hệ your hosting provider for assistance. Many hosting providers offer tư vấn services vĩ đại help with SSL certificate installations. They can guide you through the steps or even handle the installation for you, ensuring that the certificate is correctly deployed and that your trang web remains secure.
Step 4: Check details and add it vĩ đại your management system
Visit your trang web using a secure (HTTPS) connection and ensure that the browser shows a padlock icon, indicating that the SSL certificate is correctly installed and active. Additionally, you can use online tools vĩ đại kiểm tra for any potential issues with the installation.
You can also kiểm tra for the padlock icon in the browser’s address bar vĩ đại confirm that the SSL certificate is correctly installed and active. Click on the padlock vĩ đại view detailed information about the certificate, including the issuing CA, expiration date, subject, and cipher suite.
If you’re manually managing certificate lifecycles through spreadsheets or similar methods, be sure vĩ đại record your new SSL certificate details, including its expiration date. Keeping accurate records helps you stay on top of renewal dates and prevents future expirations.
It is possible vĩ đại manage a few certificates manually, but this approach is prone vĩ đại errors and oversights, which can lead vĩ đại security lapses, failed audits, and costly outages. Documenting details such as the issuer, expiration date, serial number, key size, and supported cipher suites in a spreadsheet can quickly become unmanageable as your certificate inventory grows.
For greater efficiency and scalability, consider a Certificate Lifecycle Automation (CLA) system vĩ đại automate tracking, send expiration alerts and facilitate approvals, and integrate seamlessly with your infrastructure for automated renewals, reducing the risk of human error and ensuring continuous security. CLA systems are designed vĩ đại scale with your organization, providing comprehensive oversight and management capabilities as your digital infrastructure expands.
How a CLA solution can help
1. Identification and alerts
If you have a CLA solution, you don’t have vĩ đại wonder whether an SSL certificate expired. You can easily identify where a certificate resides, when it expires, and who is responsible for renewing it. The CLA solution can deliver alerts vĩ đại ensure certificates are renewed before they expire, preventing unexpected outages and security risks.
2. Streamlined renewals
With a CLA solution, you can phối up self-service and approval workflows for certificate renewals. This streamlines the process and ensures that renewals are handled promptly. Some CLA solutions even allow for the automation of renewals, further reducing the risk of expirations.
3. Automated provisioning
A CLA solution can automate the provisioning and installation of the certificate vĩ đại the endpoint or server. It can also bind the certificate vĩ đại the correct trang web, port, and/or IP address, ensuring seamless lifecycle management and reducing the likelihood of human error during manual installations.
With a CLA solution, you can maintain comprehensive visibility and control over your SSL certificates, minimizing the risk of expirations and the associated disruptions vĩ đại your business operations.
Never get caught off guard
Getting caught by an expired SSL certificate should never happen vĩ đại any organization. Fortunately, there are solutions available vĩ đại help prevent such occurrences in the future.
Not sure where vĩ đại begin? Use this certificate management maturity model vĩ đại identify where you are today and the practical steps you can take vĩ đại get even better.
Don’t let an expired certificate compromise your website’s security and reputation. Take proactive steps vĩ đại manage your SSL certificates effectively with CLA solutions lượt thích Keyfactor Command. This tool offers discovery, tracking, and automation within a universal CLA hub.
Keyfactor Command is the best way for you vĩ đại streamline your certificate management processes, ensure timely renewals, and maintain the security and trustworthiness of your digital assets.