As a cybersecurity practitioner, you have probably observed something odd in recent years: SSL certificate validity periods have dropped dramatically. You may have created an SSL certificate five years ago and left it valid for five years without having to pay any attention. Right now, it can only be issued for one year.

SSL Certificates

These developments are compiled on a timeline below:

  • Before 2015: SSL certificates had a maximum validity of five years (yes, it is true).
  • 2015–2018: Validity was reduced to three years maximum.
  • 2018–2020: The maximum validity reduced further to two years.
  • 2020–Present: Currently capped at 398 days—approximately 13 months—right now.

SSL Certificates Security

Why are the SSL validity periods getting shorter?

There has yet to be an end to SSL validity shortening. SSL certificate validity will probably shorten even further over time. Shortening the SSL certificates has its roots in the necessity to establish better internet security. The longer a certificate remains, the greater the risk of it being compromised. As a result, reducing SSL certificate lifespans helps strengthen overall cybersecurity.

Maintaining Current in Security Measures

Cybersecurity is constantly evolving. Encryption technique thought to be unbreakable five years ago, may now be outdated. Shorter valid SSL certificate validity forces businesses to update their security standards more regularly. Companies cannot, quite simply, adopt a “set and forget” approach to their SSL certificates. SSL certificates must be renewed more regularly to align with industry standards and advancements in cryptographic technologies.

Identity Verification Changing Points

SSL certificates not only encrypt data but also serve as proof of a website’s legitimacy. In the next five years, the technology landscape is likely to change significantly. With regular updates to SSL policies, organisations must regularly confirm their identities, reducing the risk of certificate abuse as well as fraud and identity theft. While these changes may introduce additional administrative work, they ultimately strengthen online security, balancing the challenges with positive outcomes.

The Negatives:

The unwanted consequence of shortening certificate validity is the risk of expiration – if renewal dates are missed, the website will go down, which potentially disrupts users across all devices.

In the future, certificates validities are looking to drop even shorter, with 90 days or 47 days becoming the standard.

Companies can benefit by:

✅ Automation – Create seamless renewals and deployment.

✅ IT training – Education on SSL maintenance and compliance.

✅ Industry monitoring – Staying informed on sudden SSL policy changes.

Ultimately, everyone has a role to play. Although renewing an SSL certificate might be difficult and tiresome, regular renewals boost overall cybersecurity. The goal is to reduce networking attacks and security risks while keeping websites safe for users.

Certificate Lifecycle Management (CLM) solutions for simple SSL renewals and deployment of certificates are offered at Netrust. Tell us if you require a worry-free approach for your certificate management; we would be pleased to help. Contact us at https://www.netrust.net/contact-us/ today.

 

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