{"id":4941,"date":"2026-06-15T11:16:30","date_gmt":"2026-06-15T09:16:30","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.manage-now.de\/?p=4941"},"modified":"2026-06-15T19:36:35","modified_gmt":"2026-06-15T17:36:35","slug":"certificates-47-days-and-no-plan-why-the-management-of-digital-certificates-is-becoming-the-most-urgent-governance-issue-in-it-security","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.manage-now.de\/en\/blog\/certificates-47-days-and-no-plan-why-the-management-of-digital-certificates-is-becoming-the-most-urgent-governance-issue-in-it-security\/","title":{"rendered":"TLS Certificates Valid for Only 47 Days: Why Organisations Must Automate Certificate Management Now\u00a0"},"content":{"rendered":"
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An expired certificate may initially seem like a minor technical issue. In reality, however, it can lead to system outages, production disruptions, and significant financial losses. With the gradual reduction of TLS certificate validity periods, managing digital certificates is becoming a critical challenge for IT security teams. <\/em>Organisations that still rely on manual certificate management are facing increasing pressure. By 2029, publicly trusted TLS certificates will only be valid for 47 days. Without automated certificate management, meeting these requirements will become nearly impossible.<\/em><\/p>\n

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What Are Digital Certificates?<\/h2>

Digital certificates form the foundation of trust in modern IT infrastructures. They authenticate servers and applications, encrypt communication channels, and ensure the integrity of digital processes.<\/p>\n

Digital certificates are commonly used for:<\/p>\n

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  • TLS\/SSL connections for websites and applications<\/li>\n
  • Code and document signing<\/li>\n
  • S\/MIME-secured email communication<\/li>\n
  • VPN connections<\/li>\n
  • IoT devices and connected industrial systems<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

    When a certificate expires, applications may become inaccessible, or systems may refuse communication. Particularly concerning is the fact that many organisations lack complete certificate inventories and automated alerting mechanisms.<\/p>\n

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    TLS Certificates: The 47-Day Rule Is Coming<\/h2>

    The CA\/Browser Forum has decided to gradually reduce the maximum validity period of publicly trusted TLS certificates.<\/p>\n <\/div>\n \n <\/div>\n<\/section>\n\n\n

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    Timeline for the Reduction of Certificate Validity Periods<\/h3>
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    • Until March 14, 2026: max. 398 days \u2014 today\u2019s status quo<\/li>\n
    • From March 15, 2026: max. 200 days \u2014 first reduction in force<\/li>\n
    • From March 15, 2027: max. 100 days \u2014 manual processes become critical<\/li>\n
    • From March 15, 2029: max. 47 days \u2014 full automation becomes mandatory<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

      At the same time, the reuse period for domain validation information will be limited to ten days.<\/p>\n

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      What Does the Reduction of Certificate Validity Periods Mean for Organisations?<\/h2>

      An organisation currently managing 500 TLS certificates manually may only need to renew them once a year today. By 2029, this workload will increase to approximately 4,000 renewal processes annually. Each process involves validation, deployment, testing, and documentation activities. Manual processes quickly become unsustainable under these conditions. Organisations that fail to establish an automation strategy risk certificate-related outages and the resulting business disruptions.<\/p>\n

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      Certificate Lifecycle Management (CLM): The Solution for Modern Certificate Management<\/h2>

      Certificate Lifecycle Management describes the structured administration of digital certificates throughout their entire lifecycle.<\/p>\n

      This includes:<\/p>\n

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      • Inventorying all certificates<\/li>\n
      • Certificate issuance and deployment<\/li>\n
      • Automated renewals<\/li>\n
      • Revocation of compromised certificates<\/li>\n
      • Continuous monitoring<\/li>\n
      • Audit-ready documentation<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

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        A professional CLM approach reduces operational risks while providing transparency across the entire certificate landscape.<\/p>\n

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        ACME: The Foundation for Automated Certificate Renewals<\/h2>

        The ACME (Automated Certificate Management Environment) standard enables the automated issuance and renewal of digital certificates. Leading certificate authorities already support ACME today. For organisations, this protocol is becoming an essential prerequisite for efficiently meeting the 47-day certificate requirements.<\/p>\n

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        Certificate Management and Compliance: NIS2, DORA, and eIDAS 2.0<\/h2>

        Alongside technical developments, regulatory requirements are also increasing.<\/p>\n

        Relevant frameworks include:<\/p>\n

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        • NIS2, with requirements relating to cryptography and encryption controls,<\/li>\n
        • DORA, addressing digital operational resilience within the financial sector,<\/li>\n
        • eIDAS 2.0, covering trust services and qualified electronic signatures.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

          An integrated Certificate Lifecycle Management approach helps organisations address these requirements efficiently and demonstrate compliance where necessary.<\/p>\n

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          Conclusion: Transition to Automated Certificate Management Now<\/h2>

          The reduction of certificate validity periods has been decided. Organisations have limited time to adapt their processes. The first step is to identify all existing certificates and define clear ownership and responsibilities. The next stage should involve evaluating automation capabilities and developing a long-term CLM strategy. Organisations that act early can minimise risks, strengthen the resilience of their IT infrastructure, and establish a solid foundation for future compliance requirements.<\/p>\n

          Need support implementing automated certificate management? Manage Now’s experts help organisations assess their existing certificate landscape and develop sustainable Certificate Lifecycle Management strategies\u2014from initial discovery through to full automation.<\/p>\n <\/div>\n \n <\/div>\n<\/section>\n\n\n

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