What Happens When an SSL Certificate Expires? – Security Boulevard

What Does Expired Certificates Mean?

An expired certificate means that the digital certificate has reached its validity end date and is no longer trusted or functional. Digital certificates contain an end-of-validity date set by the Certificate Authority (CA) that releases them. When a certificate expires on its end date, it is no longer operative and cannot be employed to authenticate an Internet protocol, encrypt communications, or digitally sign documents or software.

Many expired certificates can be renewed, but some may require purchasing a new certificate if too much time has elapsed. It is important for organizations to keep track of certificate expiration dates to avoid disruption of services relying on the SSL certificate.

Whether a certificate needs renewal or replacement, ensuring continued trust and functionality should be a priority to prevent issues like browser warnings, failed logins, and errors accessing encrypted data or signing software. Proactive certificate management is essential for any enterprise using digital certificates as part of its cybersecurity infrastructure.

Why Do Website Security Certificates Expire?

Website security certificates expire to limit the time period that a compromised or fraudulent certificate can be used. By requiring certificates to be renewed periodically, CAs aim to reduce the window of opportunity for expired or revoked certificates to be used. Expiration also encourages website owners to keep their cryptographic keys up to date. Another reason for certificate expiration is that encryption methods and key lengths can become obsolete over time.

Requiring re-validation and renewal helps ensure website security stays up to par with the latest standards and best practices^[1]. As technology evolves, older cipher suites and shorter key lengths become more prone to brute-force attacks. Ensuring that cryptographic best practices are followed, mandatory expiration protects website security and user data.

Certificate renewal also gives website owners an opportunity to re-validate their domain ownership and identity. This provides an extra level of trust that lessens the chance of middleman assaults or phishing sites using unlawfully attained certificates. Overall, website security certificate expiration improves security through limited use periods, technology updates, and identity re-validation.

What Happens When SSL Certificate Expires?

Upon the expiry of a digital certificate, it loses its trustworthiness and will fail to perform as planned. An expired certificate used for a website will trigger security warnings in users’ web browsers. This damages user trust and credibility. Any data encrypted with the expired certificate’s key will no longer be accessible. Digital signatures^[2] made with an expired certificate are also invalid.

Website logins, secure emails, software installs, and document signing will all fail when attempted with an expired certificate. The only way to restore functionality is to renew or replace the expired certificate.

Expired certificates undermine any authentication, confidentiality, or data integrity the certificate was used to provide. Subscription services, secure portals, and other online functionality relying on the expired certificate will break until it is renewed. Revocation status checks also yield outdated information since the expired certificate will still be listed as valid before its expiration date.

Overall, allowing any certificate to expire unintentionally risks disruption, security issues, and reduced customer trust. Proactive certificate lifecycle management is essential to avoid complications from expired digital certificates.

Why Do SSL Certificates Expire?

SSL certificates expire for the same reasons as other digital certificates. Requiring periodic renewal helps limit the use of compromised or vulnerable certificates. It also encourages website owners to rotate their cryptographic keys to the latest and strongest encryption algorithms^[3].

With advancements in computing power over the years, older encryption techniques become increasingly susceptible to brute-force cracking attempts. By expiring SSL certificates every 1-3 years, website security is better able to keep pace with advances in cryptanalysis and hacking techniques.

Expiration also gives website owners an opportunity to re-validate their identity and domain ownership. The certificate renewal process repeats validation checks to ensure the website owner still has legitimate rights to use the domain for which the SSL certificate will be issued. This helps combat phishing websites and unauthorized use of domains obtained through malicious means like social engineering.

SSL certificate expiration contributes to safer, more trusted website security through:

• Limited use periods for vulnerable certificates.
• Mandatory cryptographic upgrades.
• Routine identity and domain ownership re-validation.
• Reduction of expired /revoked certificate use.
• Motivation for website owners to actively manage certificate lifecycles.

By expiring and renewing SSL certificates, you maximize website security and user trust by proactively addressing evolving threats and technologies over time. Strictly maintaining short lifespans, the latest cryptographic standards, and routine identity checks substantially improves website security.

How to Check the SSL Certificate Expiration Date?

There are a few ways to check when an SSL certificate expires:

• In your web browser address bar: Most browsers display the expiration date of the website’s SSL certificate next to the site name. Click the lock icon (now Tune Icon) to view details.
• Certificate Validity Period: The SSL certificate itself will indicate how long it is valid, commonly 1-3 years. Check with your certificate issuer or the certificate downloaded for your website.
• SSL Checker Tools: SSLWiki.org offer a free SSL checker tool^[4] to check SSL certificate details. Simply enter your domain name and they will return information like expiration date, issuer, validation type, etc.
• Command Line: Those comfortable with the command line can check SSL certificate expiration using the OpenSSL command^[5]. For example:

openssl s_client -connect www.yourdomain.com:443 -showcerts

This will connect to the website over port ^[6]443^[7] and display SSL certificate info including the validity end date.

• Certificate Transparency Logs: All SSL certificates are submitted to public logs that track issuance. Google maintains one of these logs. Search for your domain name at crt.sh or certificate.transparency.dev to find your SSL certificate and check the validity dates.
• Hosting Control Panel: If you use a web hosting company to serve your website, you likely have access to an account control panel. Most control panels will indicate your SSL certificate details somewhere within the security or domain settings sections. There you can view and manage your certificate, including monitoring expiration.

Being aware of your SSL certificate expiration date^[8] well ahead of time is important to avoid issues like downtime, errors, or reduced customer trust due to a lapsed certificate. With several convenient methods for checking certificate expiration, website owners should frequently monitor their SSL implementation as part of a comprehensive cybersecurity strategy.

How to Avoid Certificate Expiry?

There are a few tips for website owners to prevent certificate expiry:

• Monitor certificate expiration regularly: Check your certificate validity period frequently using the methods mentioned above. Set calendar reminders if the expiration date is nearing.
• Renew in advance: Do not wait until the last minute to renew your SSL certificate^[9]. Start the renewal process at least 1-2 weeks before expiration to allow time for re-validation and any unforeseen delays.
• Automate renewal reminders: Many certificate issuers and control panels offer the option to automate email expiration warnings. Enable notifications to get reminders 30, 15, and 7 days before your certificate expires.
• Reissue the same certificate type: When renewing, consider reissuing the same certificate to avoid changing anything that may disrupt your website or services using the SSL certificate. After reissuing the same type, you can work to migrate to a stronger certificate in the background to minimize downtime.
• Plan any certificate upgrades carefully: If you do want to migrate from an older standard to the latest and strongest, plan the upgrade far in advance. Conduct testing to identify any compatibility issues and schedule the upgrade during an existing maintenance window.
• Use a certificate lifecycle management (CLM) solution: For large organizations or those with many certificates, CLM software can actively monitor your entire certificate inventory, schedule reminders, and even automate some renewal and replacement processes. CLM solutions take the burden off IT administrators to manage SSL certificate expiry manually.

Planning your certificate strategy around avoiding expiration is ideal. With monitoring, renewal reminders, reissuing the same type of certificate, and upgrading carefully, website owners can ensure their SSL certificates continually remain valid and trusted. Keeping expiration management at the forefront of your certificate implementation planning is the key to avoiding issues from lapsed SSL certificates.

When Is the Best Time to Apply for a Certificate Renewal?

The best time to start applying for an SSL certificate renewal is 30-45 days before expiration. While certificates can usually be renewed in less time, allowing over a month provides a few advantages:

• Sufficient time for re-validation: The certificate renewal process will require re-validating your identity and domain ownership, which can take a few days to process. Starting 45 days ahead gives plenty of time for re-validation before expiration.
• Fix any errors^[10]: There is time to correct any errors with documentation, authorization, or automatic domain validation methods. Rushing the process risks allowing your current certificate to expire before a renewal can be issued.
• Plan for upgrades: When starting more than a month before expiry, you have time to schedule any upgrades, conduct testing, and coordinate the switch to avoid downtime. Migrating directly from an active to a renewed certificate on short notice increases the chances of compatibility or functionality issues.
• Avoid emergency replacement: By handling the renewal in advance, you avoid needing to do an emergency replacement if your current certificate were to expire before being renewed. Emergency replacements cost more and do not allow time for proper testing or coordination.
• Opportunity to re-evaluate: An SSL renewal provides an opportunity to re-evaluate your website security needs. Starting the process early gives you time to determine if a stronger certificate type, like EV SSL, better suits your business. You can take time exploring different certificate options before selecting a renewal.
• Budget and purchase: Purchasers of a new SSL certificate from an issuer need time to evaluate costs, compare providers, obtain purchase approvals, and complete the transaction. Starting the renewal process with only a week or two before expiration does not leave enough time for budgeting and purchasing decisions.

Starting the process 30-45 days before expiration is ideal, although an SSL certificate renewal can often complete it in a shorter period if necessary. The additional time empowers website owners with opportunities to re-validate thoroughly, test potential certificate upgrades, coordinate internally, budget properly for any new purchases, correct errors, and avoid needing emergency replacements.

With nearly all certificates offering expiration reminders, website owners have no excuse for not initiating renewal far enough in advance. Consistently delaying the renewal of SSL certificates until the eleventh hour is a dangerous practice that will at some point cause downtime, mistakes, or gaps in security. Staying on top of expiration dates and starting renewal efforts at least a month before your certificate expires results in proactively maintaining trusted website security over the long run.

Conclusion on What Happens When SSL Certificate Expires

In summary, the best time to apply for certificate renewal is 30-45 days before expiration. Start the renewal process during this period to keep your website’s security functioning properly through constant monitoring and seamless transitions between current and renewed certificates. Use the time for opportunities to test upgrades, coordinate with teams, budget, and avoid close calls by eliminating the need for emergency changes. With an ample head start and by making expiration management a priority, website owners can rest easy knowing their SSL implementation remains continually trusted and validated.

The post What Happens When an SSL Certificate Expires?^[11] appeared first on SSLWiki^[12].

*** This is a Security Bloggers Network syndicated blog from SSLWiki^[13] authored by SSLWiki^[14]. Read the original post at: https://sslwiki.org/what-happens-when-ssl-certificate-expires/^[15]