Introduction

Safety protocols in the virtual domain are perhaps more important than ever in the current world. There can be no denying that PKI management is one of the most crucial aspects of protecting our increasingly digital world. It is the element of most, if not all, secure transfers such as emails and monetary transactions.

There are various risks associated with improper PKI management. These risks include the trivial ones that affect minor issues in the organization and the major ones that compromise the security of the organization. To effectively manage an organization, especially in the digital environment, it is important to understand these risks.

So, let us walk you through some basic steps that can help you manage PKI effectively.

What is PKI Management?

PKI management is defined as the administration of all aspects of an organization’s Public Key Infrastructure. It is a challenging process that needs consideration besides following the basic concepts concerning information technology security.

In its essence, PKI management deals with digital certificates and encryption keys. These are the basics by which secure communications over the Internet may be conducted.

Here is what PKI Management typically includes:

• Issuing Certificates
• Distributing them
• Renewing when needed
• Revoking if compromised

But PKI management goes beyond these basic tasks. It also involves:

• Policy Management
• Key Management
• Compliance Monitoring
• User Education

Also Read: What is PKI Automation? Benefits and Role of Certificate Lifecycle Automation 

Best PKI Solutions typically include:

• Certificate Authorities (CAs): Entities that issue digital certificates
• Registration Authorities (RAs): Verify the identity of entities requesting certificates
• Certificate Databases: Store and index digital certificates
• Certificate Management Systems: Handle the lifecycle of certificates

Also Read: PKI Use Cases for Modern Enterprise Security

What is Certificate Lifecycle Management (CLM)?

Certificate Lifecycle Management is considered an integral part of PKI. It is the process of sustaining, distributing, and revoking these certificates throughout their lifecycle, starting from their creation to their cancellation.

Key stages in the certificate lifecycle include:

• Certificate request and approval
• Certificate issuance
• Certificate deployment
• Certificate renewal
• Certificate revocation
• Certificate expiration

Using CLM, one can manage certificates and thus deal with cases where security loopholes are created due to expiring or compromised certificates.

Also Read: Manual vs. Automated SSL Certificate Management

PKI Solutions & Certificate Management:

Several tools help manage PKI:

Sectigo Certificate Manager

Sectigo Certificate Manager is an umbrella product for several options for the management of digital certificates.

Key features include:

• Centralized certificate inventory
• Automated certificate discovery
• Automation of the certificates issuing and their renewal.
• Compatibility with useful DevOps applications
• Detailed reporting and alerts

Sectigo Certificate Manager is suitable for organizations of any size, irrespective of the certificate management process implemented, and simplifies the management of certificates while at the same time minimizing the possibility of certificate-related outages.

Comodo Certificate Manager

Certificate manager also provides comparable features to Sectigo’s product, the same as Comodo does. Notable features include:

• Feasibility in processing large numbers of patients, and being a workable system for managing several organizations
• Flexible procedures for certificate creation and approval
• In the case of Active Directory & LDAP, it is a WEB-based module-type integration.
• SSL, S/MIME, Code Signing certificates
• Evaluations for extensive reporting and auditing solutions

This strategy makes a lot of sense for Comodo because the Comodo Certificate Management Solution is likely to find its way into the hands of managed service providers and large enterprises that have a lot of certificates to manage.

DigiCert Trust Lifecycle Manager

Another great certificate management solution is DigiCert Trust Lifecycle Manager. Key features include:

• Unification of the certificate management process as well as inventory
• Issuance and approval of the certification requests
• Compatibility with most used MDM and ITSM solutions
• Both public and private CAs have shown support.
• Advanced analytics and reporting

DigiCert Trust Manager is known for its scalability and is often chosen by large enterprises with extensive PKI deployments.

Also Read: What is Certificate Management? Why Do Businesses Need Centralized Certificate Management Solution?

Risks of Poor PKI Management:

Certificates expiring:

• Services stop working
• Users get frustrated
• Company loses money

Keys being stolen:

• Data gets leaked
• Identities get stolen
• Company’s reputation suffers

• Some certificates go unnoticed
• Incomplete records
• Breaking security rules

Doing tasks by hand:

• People make mistakes
• Work is less efficient
• Costs more money

Weak Security Measures:

• Easier for hackers to attack
• Fails to meet security standards
• Customers lose trust

Poor Access Control:

• Wrong people can issue certificates
• Private keys might be misused
• Internal security threats increase

Not Monitoring properly:

• Slow to fix problems
• Security breaches go unnoticed
• Violates compliance rules

Poor record-keeping:

• Hard to pass audits
• Knowledge lost when staff leave
• Inconsistent practices

Best Practices for PKI Management:

Automate Processes:

• Use certificate management tools
• Set up automatic renewals
• Implement discovery scans

Establish Clear Policies:

• Define roles and responsibilities
• Create certificate issuance guidelines
• Set up approval workflows

Regular Audits:

• Review certificate inventory
• Check for policy compliance
• Identify areas for improvement

Implement Strong Access Controls:

• Use multi-factor authentication
• Limit access to private keys
• Regularly review user permissions

Use Hardware Security Modules (HSMs):

• Protect critical private keys
• Ensure secure key generation
• Comply with industry standards

Stay Updated:

• Keep software patched
• Follow industry best practices
• Adapt to new security threats

Train your team:

• Educate on PKI basics
• Teach secure handling of certificates
• Conduct regular refresher courses

Plan for disasters:

• Create backup and recovery procedures
• Test disaster recovery plans
• Prepare for CA compromise scenarios

Monitor continuously:

• Set up alerts for expiring certificates
• Track certificate usage
• Detect anomalies in real-time

Document everything:

• Maintain detailed inventory
• Record all PKI-related processes
• Keep audit logs secure

Also Read: What Is Certificate Automation? How Automation Helps Prevent SSL Attacks?

Implementing Effective PKI Management:

Assess current state:

• Inventory existing certificates
• Identify management gaps
• Determine security needs

• Evaluate PKI management solutions
• Consider scalability and integration
• Test before full deployment

Define Policies and Procedures:

• Create a certificate policy (CP)
• Develop a certificate practice statement (CPS)
• Establish operational guidelines

Set up infrastructure:

• Install and configure CA software
• Implement HSMs for key protection
• Set up backup and redundancy

Automate where possible:

• Configure auto-discovery tools
• Set up automated renewal processes
• Implement automated reporting

Train staff:

• Educate IT team on PKI concepts
• Provide hands-on training with tools
• Create user guides for end-users

Monitor and Maintain:

• Set up continuous monitoring
• Regularly review and update policies
• Conduct periodic security assessments

Plan:

• Stay informed about PKI trends
• Prepare for quantum computing threats
• Regularly evaluate and upgrade systems

Conclusion:

Are you and your organization prepared to improve your online security? Poor management of PKI is an issue that should not be allowed to compromise the assets owned or being controlled by an organization.

Do not let the PKI process overwhelm you; leave it to our team to evaluate the risks, provide recommendations, and assist in the implementation of the certificate management solution that meets your organization’s requirements.

We help you to start on the path to better online security – discover our materials and meet our PKI experts now.