What Is Certificate Management?

When considering the importance of authentication security and establishing device trust to protect your network, it’s no wonder organizations are moving away from credentials in droves. An increasingly popular solution is replacing credentials with certificates for authentication. Read here how an app startup reaped numerous user experience and security benefits by replacing passwords with certificates.
Of course, if your organization plans to implement certificates, they must be prepared for a more involved management process. If properly handled with the right tools, certificate management can be a breeze.

So, let’s start at the beginning. Before you can understand certificate management, you need to know exactly what digital certificates are and how to use them effectively.

Then we’ll explore the relationship between PKI and digital certificates, the benefits and risks of certificate management, use cases, and the implementation process.

What Is a Digital Certificate?

A digital certificate is a unique digital identifier that confirms the identity of a person, device, or service online, similar to how a driver’s license or passport confirms one’s identity in person. A digital certificate’s primary functions are to verify identities before granting access to secure information, and to keep that information private during access using encryption and decryption.

X.509 defines the certificate format and supports asymmetric key algorithms such as RSA or ECC for identity verification and key exchange. This public/private key pair is the reason digital certificates are also called PKI certificates (Public Key Infrastructure certificates) — because certificate management runs on PKI.

Admins also refer to digital certificates by their specific certificate types, including:

• SSL/TLS certificates (Secure Sockets Layer or Transport Layer Security certificates): These certificates secure private servers through data encryption using cryptographic keys.
• X.509 certificates or X.509 digital certificates: This common type of digital certificate uses asymmetric cryptography with an advanced encryption algorithm to elude attacks.

But whether for SSL certificate management, TLS certificate management, or another type, the process is essentially the same.

What Is Certificate Management?

Certificate management is the combination of manual and automated processes used to issue, validate, distribute, monitor, renew, and revoke digital certificates. It’s also known as Certificate Lifecycle Management (CLM).

Proper certificate management is responsible for:

• Keeping networks running without congestion.
• Providing complete visibility into individual digital certificates and overall infrastructure.
• Navigating certificate issuance and expiration dates for certificate renewal or revocation.
• Avoiding downtime and certificate outages caused by improperly configured or expired certificates.

A comprehensive certificate management system includes the right staff and/or managed service provider, documented policies, onboarding and consistent training, software tools, certificate authorities (CAs), and sufficient cryptographic hardware or cloud-based servers. Although, it may include Hardware Security Modules (HSMs) or secure cloud-based key storage for protecting private keys.

Why Does Certificate Management Matter so Much Today?

Certificate management has grown from a niche, narrow PKI concern to a core operational requirement. Organizations now use certificates for user and device authentication, encrypted traffic, API security, and even cloud workloads. Any blind spot or certificate can quickly become a disruptive outage.

The rapidly increasing volume and complexity of certificates is another consideration. Teams are securing on-premise systems, SaaS apps, mobile devices, Internet of Things (IoT) devices, and containerized services, frequently across multiple clouds. Each of these has their own automation patterns and governance challenges. Shorter certificate lifespans multiply this operational burden and increase frequency of renewals.

Effective, modernized certificate management helps with these pressures by:

• Building and maintaining an up-to-date certificate inventory across all environments.
• Standardizing policies for key sizes, algorithms, and certificate lifetimes.
• Automating renewals and deployments to avoid last-minute fire drills.
• Providing clear ownership and reporting so teams can easily pass audits and demonstrated control.

Core Digital Certificate Components

Digital certificates all follow the same basic blueprint, even if they’re used for different use cases. At a high level, they bind an identity to a public key and wrap that binding in a signed, time-bound assertion that other systems can easily validate.

• Key certificate components include:
• Subject: The identity the certificate represents (user, device, service, domain).
• Issuer: The CA that ‘vouches for’ the subject identity and signs the certificate.
• Public key: The key paired with a private key stored securely on the endpoint or HSM.
• Validity period: Not before/not after timestamps define when the certificate is ‘trusted’.

You’ll also see several fields that are used to drive how the certificate is used in practice. These include:

• Serial number and signature algorithm for uniqueness and integrity.
• Key Usage and Extended Key Usage (EKU) that define allowed operations (e.g., client auth or server auth).
• Subject Alternative Name (SAN) entries that list additional identities like DNS names or UPNs.

What’s the Difference Between PKI and Certificate Management?

PKI defines the trust model, certificate authorities, validation mechanisms, and key lifecycle governance.
Where PKI makes certificates possible, Certificate Lifecycle Management (CLM) encompasses the systems and processes used to handle individual certificates and repositories.

Organizations with in-house or managed PKI services rely on CLM and SSL certificate management tools for the successful implementation and management of digital certificates.

Digital Certificate Management and PKI Architecture

Here are the essential components in digital certificate management with PKI:

Certificate Authority

A certificate authority (CA) is a third party responsible for issuing keys and digitally signed certificates to PKI end users (those seeking access). According to the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), they’re also sometimes known as certification authorities.

There are two types of CA: root and subordinate CAs. Root CAs are typically kept offline to reduce exposure but must still be physically and procedurally secured. Subordinate (issuing) CAs issue certificates to end entities and are themselves signed by the root CA.

In cases with multiple CAs (more than one subordinate), you may refer to the additional subordinates as intermediate CAs.

End-Entity Certificates

End-entity certificates are generated by subordinate CAs and issued to devices, machines, servers, and cryptographic hardware.

Client Application

The client application is the end-user software requesting access.

Certificate Repository

PKI end users rely on the certificate repository to store, distribute, and identify revoked certificates via certificate revocation lists (CRLs). This is a lot to manage, so the repositories must be robust and agile.

The Importance of Certificate Management

If a network relies on digital certificates but lacks the proper tools and systems, users and devices can’t securely connect to the network. They’ll encounter errors when certificates are improperly configured, expired, or unable to be validated.

And if an organization foregoes digital certificates altogether, password vulnerabilities may leave them exposed. Passwords can’t completely verify a user’s identity, as they’re easily shared, exposed, guessed, or discovered in attacks. They also bloat IT workloads with more support tickets for password recovery and Wi-Fi access.

When it comes to passwords vs. digital certificates for enterprise-grade security, an effective certificate management system is the clear choice.

Benefits of Effective Certificate Management

In order to fully experience the benefits, certificates require proper management during every stage of the process. Without it, both users and admins will have difficulty completing their tasks. But if well-prepared, organizations can reap significant benefits from certificates.

Authentication Security

When users are configured with certificates on their devices, authentication is far easier and more secure than with credentials. First and foremost, certificates do not require repeated resets. For password best practices, passwords should be reset according to security and operational needs..

In contrast, certificate validity periods should follow risk-based policies. Shorter lifetimes reduce exposure if a private key is compromised. A common example is to equip a university student with a new certificate that has a 4-year lifespan. Because certificates are protected by public key cryptography and cannot be stolen and used by outsiders, they do not need to be constantly reset.

Additionally, certificates are known to be far more secure than credentials when protecting against outside attacks. Server certificate validation prevents over-the-air credential theft. And because certificates are tied to a device, they cannot be used fraudulently. A certificate is not something you know; it’s something you have, which cannot be removed from the device.

Network Visibility

One of the greatest failings of credentials is that you cannot confirm without a doubt who is using them. Any user can share credentials with another user or a guest, or unknowingly with a credential thief.

On the other hand, certificates are tied to the identity of a device and user. When a user onboards to the network, the certificate is visibly imprinted with identifying information. This allows network admins to confirm conclusively who is accessing the network. And with the SecureW2 management portal, admins can see who is accessing which applications, which helps greatly with app and infrastructure management to avoid outages.

Reduced Outages and Lighter Operational Load

Automating your certificate management processes significantly reduces unplanned downtime by centrally managing renewals, deployments, and revocations as a proactive measure, before they become operational risks. This lets teams spend less time reacting, managing more with less effort and worry. 

Key ways automation minimizes operational burdens:

• Proactive alerts for impending expirations and misconfigurations
• Intervention-free renewal and redeployment to critical systems and devices
• Standardized workflows that are easy to scale, adapt, and train for
• Centralized, consolidated visibility to help teams find and fix errors quickly

More Robust Compliance and Audit Readiness

Strong certificate management is fundamental to demonstrating compliance with a wide range of frameworks, including ISO 27001, SOC 2, PCI DSS, and other regulators. Centralized certificate governance makes it easy to demonstrate and document how certificates are used, who owns them, and how they’re controlled.

Here are some important compliance and readiness features:

• Complete and current inventory of all certificates and issuing CAs
• Documented policy controls for algorithms, key sizes, and validity periods
• Detailed logs that capture issuance, renewal, revocation, and approvals
• Exportable, easily shareable reports that map certificate posture to specific controls and standards

Risks and Challenges of Certificate Management Systems

When implemented correctly, certificate management is secure, reliable, and straightforward. But if improperly managed, digital certificates expose your organization to serious security risks. Before implementing a certificate management system, be aware of these challenges.

Outdated Manual Tracking

Manual certificate management tools, such as spreadsheets, can expose all the certificates to your network. Spreadsheets aren’t sustainable or scalable when managing a high volume of certificates and renewals. This leaves you vulnerable to human error, infiltration, certificate outages, compliance violations, and liabilities. Use modern, secure certificate management systems to stay safe and compliant.

Key Management and Security

Improper storage, management, and destruction of private keys can lead to data breaches and unauthorized access to sensitive information. Modern enterprises need effective key security and an infrastructure prepared to handle rapid algorithm swaps in the age of Post-Quantum Cryptography (PQC).

Vulnerable Certificate Authorities (CAs)

Certificate authorities are responsible for issuing and managing certificates. When malicious entities gain access to issuing CAs and root CAs, they can grant themselves access to your entire network and devices, too. Use trustworthy private CAs to protect yourself and your data.

Expired Certificates

Individual certificates have unique expiration timelines. Expired and revoked certificates won’t authenticate users or devices, leading to connection errors. Without proper certificate management, real-time monitoring, and automated alerts, you may accidentally let a certificate’s validity period expire without initiating a renewal process or issuing new certificates.

Certificate Management Use Cases

There are a vast number of excellent use cases for certificates, ranging from small businesses to enterprise certificate management solutions:

• Websites: From e-commerce and customer service to financial services and government portals, all public and private sites can benefit from digital certificates for user and device authentication.
• Intranet portals and sites: Beyond basic usernames and passwords, trust digital certificates to protect sensitive data on your company’s internal portals and websites.
• Cloud servers and applications: Cloud access can become complex and bloated with traditional credentialing; the Certificate Management Lifecycle keeps it simple.
• Wi-Fi and virtual private networks (VPNs): Wi-Fi networks are particularly vulnerable to infiltration; digital certificate management enables secure network access for your organization.
• Email: Avoid malicious attacks, from spoofing corporate email addresses to phishing for login info, using digital certificates for email encryption and verification. 
• Networking devices: Use digital certificates to protect routers, switches, and other hardware responsible for authenticating network access.
• Internet of Things (IoT) and mobile devices: Protect all connected devices across your organization with digital certificate security.
• Application development and DevOps: Keep proprietary software, code, and application containers secure, preventing access to unreleased or outdated versions.

Nearly anywhere you might use passwords, you can opt for digital certificates for increased efficiency and security.

The Certificate Lifecycle Management Process

The basic infrastructure setup for certificate authentication requires an endpoint, a RADIUS server, and a PKI. From here, admins can begin designing their network and how it will operate for end users. The main consideration is how they manage each stage in the certificate lifecycle: enrollment, distribution, validation, and expiration.

Enrollment

The enrollment stage involves how a user requests a certificate for authentication with a Certificate Signing Request (CSR) sent to the CA. This stage must be set up so that only approved network users can obtain certificates. To do this, the onboarding software must be connected to the IDP containing all valid network users.

To verify that every user obtains a certificate, the process of requesting a certificate must be extremely user-friendly. The goal is to avoid all IT support tickets. SecureW2 supports several methods for users to request certificates, including an onboarding SSID, a vanity URL, or a time-restricted SSID. Once the user completes the request, they will move on to the next step to gain a certificate from the certificate authority (CA).

Distribution

There are three primary options for obtaining a certificate: manual configuration, admin configuration, or onboarding software. For the average network user, manual configuration will be too difficult. Configuring a device for a certificate involves procedures they likely have not encountered before and can easily result in misconfiguration.

For small organizations, allowing admins to configure users’ devices is an option, but it is labor-intensive. The average network user likely has multiple devices, each requiring a unique certificate. Even in an organization of just 20 people, this adds up to a large time commitment.

Onboarding software is often the best choice. The JoinNow Suite enables users to configure their devices for certificates in just a few clicks. The dissolvable client primarily requires that users confirm their identity while the client does the rest. In minutes, the device is provisioned with a certificate, and the user is ready to be authenticated.

Once it’s confirmed, the user’s identity and accompanying settings are imprinted on the certificate. Whichever user group they are assigned to is identified when they authenticate, and allows admins to implement continuous trust network access policies. After using JoinNow, every user is identified and has access to the resources they need.

Storage, Monitoring, and Validation

The longest section of the certificate lifecycle is certainly storage, monitoring, and validation. Once created, organizations must properly store valid certificates with optimal visibility, security, and accessibility. This enables consistent monitoring, compliant recordkeeping, and real-time validation for each request.

Here is where the day-to-day authentication takes place. There are many options for authentication methods, but the most highly recommended is EAP-TLS for a WPA2-Enterprise network.

When a user sends their certificate over-the-air with EAP-TLS, it establishes a TLS tunnel during authentication, protecting credential exchange over the wireless medium. This prevents any outsiders from viewing the contents of communications sent over-the-air.

From the end user standpoint, EAP-TLS is incredibly easy because they are not involved in the process. As the user enters the range of the network, their certificate is automatically sent to the RADIUS server via EAP-TLS.

During this stage, admins are monitoring network activity to ensure everything runs smoothly and no one is accessing resources they shouldn’t. With certificates, this is simplified because their user group will be immediately applied, preventing users from accessing resources unnecessarily. When every user is properly authenticated, it is easy to control their access to resources.

SecureW2 also provides the ability to perform cloud RADIUS  authentication. This allows the RADIUS server to communicate directly with the IDP when a user authenticates. This is especially useful when a user needs updated network permissions, say in the case of a promotion. In the past, that user would need all new certificates with updated permissions on every device. With dynamic authentication, the admin simply has to update their permissions in the IDP, and the RADIUS server applies the updated settings when they authenticate with their certificate.

Certificate Expiration and Revocation

Certificates expire after a validity period set by the organization. This can be completely uniform or customized on a user group basis. An effective certificate solution like SecureW2 provides expiration alert software so no certificate unexpectedly expires and leaves a hole in their security. Exploiting expired certificates is a common route used by hackers, like in the case of the Equifax leak.

When a user’s certificate expires, they can either renew a certificate or allow it to stay expired because it is no longer needed. An expired certificate cannot be used for authentication.

On occasion, a certificate needs to be revoked before it expires. In this case, Revocation mechanisms such as CRLs or OCSP allow validation systems to reject revoked certificates. This list makes sure there are no unknown certificates that could potentially be used for nefarious purposes.

Manual vs. Automated Certificate Lifecycle Management

Organizations with a limited number of certs often rely on manual spreadsheets, but these methods can quickly become a constraint. Shifting to automated lifecycle management helps prevent outages, reduces blind spots, and saves teams from painful, last-minute renewal fire drills.

Why Spreadsheets Don’t Scale

Tracking certificates with a spreadsheet is simple, but quickly becomes ineffective as certificate volume and the environment (or team) grow. Ownership gets confusing, data gets old and there’s no real-time view into certificate status issues or risky configurations. Spreadsheets also create costly operational drags:

• No automated discovery makes it too easy to miss new certificates and rogue endpoints
• Manual copy-and-paste processes can introduce risky errors and omissions, and version conflicts
• A lack of alert or notification workflows means teams might not discover issues until it’s too late
• Decentralized access rules make it hard to snap processes to compliance and security requirements

Choosing an Automated CLM Platform

An automated certificate lifecycle management platform enables teams to replace ad-hoc tracking with something that can adapt and scale faster. The move to automation enables continuous discovery, centralized policy-driven issuance, and hands-free renewals. 

Integrating with other key systems also enables teams to eliminate much of their busy work while improving security and compliance postures. 

Key CLM features to prioritize:

• Network discovery across on-prem, mobile, cloud, IoT, and even OT environments
• Centralized policy engine for managing algorithms, key sizes, lifetimes, and revocation processes
• Automated workflows across enrollment, deployment, renewal, and revocation
• RBAC plus tracked approvals and detailed audit logs
• Built-in integrations with key services and protocols, including IDP, RADIUS, MDM/EMM, DevOps, and ACME-SCEP

Finally, look for dashboards that quickly and succinctly highlight risk and ownership with reporting and analytics that are easy to generate and understand.

Simplify Network Management With Certificates

While certificates require more effort to implement and use effectively, the benefits they provide are worth it. The ease of applying network settings to users, the security and authentication benefits, and the confidence of accurately identifying every network user put certificates miles ahead of credential-based authentication.

SecureW2 Simplifies and Strengthens Your CLM

SecureW2 JoinNow Dynamic PKI and Cloud RADIUS help organizations centralize certificate lifecycle management, giving you stronger everyday security with less daily grind. A single portal lets admins rapidly search users and devices, view cert details, and troubleshoot authentications. SecureW2 enables:

• Automated certificate enrollment, renewal, and revocation for managed devices via Gateway APIs such as SCEP, JSON, and OAuth
• Self-service BYOD onboarding with JoinNow MultiOS to eliminate misconfiguration errors
• Smart, policy-driven revocation, including non-utilization rules, to automatically purge state certificates

Schedule a demo to see if SecureW2 certificate solutions are right for your network.