Advantages of Shorter Certificate Validity Periods: Benefits of Certificate Automation

With the world accessing the Internet more than ever, securing communication over the Internet has not been more crucial. The go-to solutions are Transport Layer Security(TLS) and Secure Socket Layer(SSL). These certificates have safeguarded online communications, protected sensitive information, and helped to establish trust with users.

Historically, SSL digital certificates could be valid for years, after which they had to be renewed or replaced.

Following Apple’s declaration to change the certificate validity on its Safari browsers from 27 to 13 months, numerous other companies, including Google, followed suit starting in September 2020. Many certificate authorities (CAs) began to shorten the duration of the SSL certificates they issued. Google, most recently, proposed a significant change at the?Certificate Authority/Browser (CA/B) Forum?that focuses on automated certificate lifecycle management by reducing the validity of TLS certificates from 398 days to 90 days. With a market share of almost 65%, Chrome is one of the most popular browsers, and many more are likely to follow.

To be trusted by Chrome users, SSL certificates issued for websites must adhere to the new maximum validity term.

To learn more about the impact of shorter certificate validity periods, visit Encryption Consulting