Digital certificates and the underlying public key infrastructure (PKI) are embedded in many aspects of daily digital communication extending well beyond the traditional use case of leveraging SSL/TLS certificates to secure public-facing websites. In a hyperconnected world, digital certificates provide confidence in use cases ranging from authenticating smart home devices, securing airport technologies or ensuring the integrity of voting machines. PKI and digital certificates constitute the crucial layer of an identity-first cybersecurity model. Not only are the scope and the dimensions of how digital certificates are used are expanding, but highly disruptive factors also drive a separate, fundamental change. Shortening certificate lifespans and the innovations that are underway in quantum computing are likely to alter the trust landscape for many organizations. These changes bring the requirement for a much higher level of crypto agility. Enterprises will need complete visibility of their cryptographic assets, and the ability to rapidly replace certificates without disruptions to their operations.

Author: Özgün Pelit