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When outages hit, and teams scramble to trace the expired or misconfigured certificate that brought the system down this time—the default response is often, “We need automation.”
But automation alone doesn’t fix the root problem. It’s not a strategy—it’s just one piece of a much bigger puzzle.
Modernizing PKI and certificate lifecycle management (CLM) requires more than a tool that auto-renews certificates. It requires clarity, coordination, and a solution that supports both current needs and future realities.
In this blog, we break down the most common (and costly) challenges holding back PKI and CLM strategies and share five critical steps to help you move from chaos to crypto-agility.
Step 1: Define Clear Objectives (No, “We Need Automation” Doesn’t Count)
When evaluating PKI providers or investing in CLM tools, many organizations get stuck at the starting line—unable to move beyond high-level goals to clear, actionable requirements.
Take certificate lifecycle automation. It is a common goal—and a vague one. Most teams agree it’s needed, but few can define what they want to automate and where it should apply. Is the goal end-to-end certificate renewals? Better governance? Faster provisioning for DevOps?
This lack of clarity often becomes the first major roadblock. A recent Gartner Buyers’ Guide to PKI and Certificate Lifecycle Management notes:
“Many organizations define certificate automation as a key requirement and many tools support certificate automation. However, certificate automation alone does not adequately describe the requirement in a way that will facilitate evaluation and differentiation between solutions.”
As mentioned earlier, automation is just one piece of effective CLM—there are other critical aspects that also need attention. That’s why the real starting point is defining the specific problems you’re trying to solve, translating those into requirements, and mapping them to desired platform features.
Step 2: Fix the Foundations
A PKI or CLM strategy is only as good as the architecture supporting it. And for most organizations, this architecture needs some serious refresh.
One PKI for all or Many?
PKI today supports a wide range of use cases—from workloads and devices to applications and user identities. Any effort to modernize PKI and CLM should take all of them into account.
A common challenge: striking the right balance between running a single PKI for all use cases versus spinning up separate PKIs. Too much consolidation increases operational complexity and risk. Too much fragmentation creates silos and inefficiencies. Getting trust boundaries right is crucial for long-term scalability, security, and agility.
Gartner outlines basic principles for defining PKI trust boundaries without overengineering your architecture.
The On-Prem vs. SaaS Decision
While cloud-based PKI and CLM offerings are on the rise, on-prem deployments continue to be a part of the mix. Choosing the right model is a foundational step in modernizing your PKI and CLM strategy.
Traditional single-tenant, on-prem models offer control but come with trade-offs, such as slower access to updates and security patches, higher infrastructure and support costs, limited scalability, longer deployment cycles, and less agility.
Modern multi-tenant SaaS platforms, on the other hand, offer continuous updates, centralized management, instant scalability, and lower total cost of ownership.
There’s no one-size-fits-all. Highly regulated industries may prefer control, while cloud-native teams might prioritize speed and simplicity.
Gartner presents a pros and cons matrix to help evaluate the best fit for your organization—factoring in cost, control, functionality, long-term flexibility, and others.
Step 3: Pick the Right Solution
Once your strategy is clear, the next big decision is choosing the right solution—and that’s where many teams hit a crossroads. Here are two key considerations to help you evaluate what’s right for your environment.
Breadth or Depth? Finding the Right Fit
One of the most common strategy decisions teams face is whether to go with a single vendor for all use cases or combine best-of-breed tools for different use cases.
Vendor rationalization, consolidating PKI and CLM under one provider offers centralized control, easier procurement, and a single-pane-of-glass experience across use cases.
On the other hand, best-of-breed tools often bring deeper CLM functionality in specific areas—especially where advanced capabilities matter most, like:
- Deeper certificate discovery
- Insights on certificate-related vulnerabilities
- Advanced automation covering even the last-mile endpoint certificate binding
In either case, check if the solution can handle your most critical use cases with intelligence and flexibility. Don’t just go with what looks unified but with what delivers actual value.
Gartner provides a helpful breakdown of vendor capabilities across both breadth and depth to help spot where specific solutions shine or fall short.
Don’t Skip the Proof of Concept
A proof of concept isn’t just a formality—it’s your best shot at a reality check.
Once you’ve shortlisted CLM solutions, run a POC to test for your key requirements, such as the extent of certificate discovery, flexibility of automation workflows, and integration with your existing tools and processes.
A good POC will reveal what the sales pitch can’t. The better you test now, the fewer surprises later.
Step 4: Plan the Spend and the Savings
When evaluating PKI and CLM solutions, cost is another strategic factor. Licensing models vary widely across vendors. Take into account:
- Cost models — per certificate, per action, or enterprise agreements
- Wildcard/SAN usage and pricing differences
- Licensing flexibility
Most transitions involve running old and new systems in parallel, such as migrating PKIs, introducing automation, or phasing out manual processes. This means planning for temporary overhead. At the same time, don’t overlook cost savings automation delivers, eliminating outages, manual effort, and non-compliance fines.
A smart budgeting approach balances initial costs against long-term resilience and agility.
Step 5: Align Your Teams. Think Long-Term.
A successful PKI and CLM strategy isn’t static—it has to evolve with new technologies, emerging threats, and shifting compliance requirements. Here are two essentials to ensure that:
Build A Machine Identity Working Group
PKI and CLM cut across multiple functions, including security, infrastructure, DevOps, cloud. No single team typically owns it all. That’s where a machine identity working group adds real value.
Bringing together stakeholders across teams into one working group helps clarify ownership, enforce policies, and drive consistent practices across your certificate landscape. Whether you’re managing one PKI or many, it keeps decisions aligned and out of silos.
Future-Proof with Crypto Visibility and Agility
Modernizing PKI and CLM isn’t just about solving today’s problems—it’s about staying ready for what’s next.
With the CA/B Forum set to enforce 47-day validity by 2029, frequent renewals will become the norm. Crypto-agility, built on visibility, automation, and policy control, will be critical in preventing outages.
Post-quantum cryptography readiness is also on the clock. With NIST planning to deprecate RSA and ECC algorithms by 2030, you need solutions that support hybrid certificates, trust store management, and PQC certificate issuance for private trust.
And with regulations like DORA and PCI DSS now explicitly calling out cryptographic controls, crypto-agility is a must.
Future-proofing starts with choosing a platform that has crypto-agility built-in so you’re ready for what’s next.
Final Thought: Strategy First, Then the Right Solution
Modernizing PKI and CLM isn’t about a technical refresh; it’s a strategic shift that sets the stage for long-term resilience. From defining clear goals and aligning teams to selecting the right solution, every decision you make now helps avoid outages, reduce risk, and stay compliant down the line.
Whether you’re refining your strategy or just getting started, one thing’s clear: visibility, automation, and agility are no longer optional—they’re the foundation.
With the PKI landscape rapidly evolving with 47-day TLS certificate lifespans, PQC, and new compliance mandates, the clock is ticking. Now’s the time to get your strategy and foundation in place.
If you’re ready to modernize your PKI and CLM strategies, AppViewX offers the most advanced certificate lifecycle management and private PKI platform. Reach out to an AppViewX expert today to see how we can help you build crypto-agility and future-proof your security.
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The clock is ticking. By 2030, enterprises must implement post-quantum cryptography to meet NIST’s deadline—and the journey starts today.
While quantum computers powerful enough to crack current RSA and ECC encryption remain on the horizon, the threat is real enough that waiting means falling behind. Smart organizations are already laying the groundwork for quantum-safe encryption, building the crypto-agility they’ll need to pivot when the moment arrives.
AppViewX CEO Dino DiMarino recently outlined five critical trends shaping the post-quantum landscape in Forbes. Here we explore two of the five trends that demand immediate attention from IT security leaders:
Build Your Crypto-Agility Foundation Now
Forward-thinking enterprises aren’t waiting for the quantum threat to materialize—they’re investing in flexibility today. This proactive approach involves three key steps:
- Discovering cryptographic assets across your entire infrastructure
- Automating certificate management to handle the complexity ahead
- Designing systems that can seamlessly adopt quantum-safe encryption when needed
By building these capabilities now, organizations position themselves to adopt PQC smoothly when the pressure intensifies.
Assess Your Post-Quantum Cryptography Implementation Readiness: “Before you can begin post-quantum cryptography implementation, you need to understand your current cryptographic landscape and crypto-agility maturity. Download our comprehensive Post-Quantum Cryptography Assessment to understand your quantum exposure and prioritize remediation efforts for a successful PQC migration.”
Get Your PQC Assessment
Master the New Compliance Landscape
NIST’s post-quantum cryptography standards aren’t just guidelines—they’re becoming mandates. Federal requirements and sector-specific regulations are creating a complex web of compliance obligations that organizations must navigate.
The good news? Early alignment with these standards does double duty: it strengthens your security posture today while demonstrating strategic foresight to stakeholders and regulators. Organizations that move early avoid the compliance rush and build competitive advantage.
The Path Forward
These two trends represent just the beginning. DiMarino’s full Forbes article explores additional critical insights around quantum-safe encryption implementation, hybrid testing approaches, DevSecOps integration, and strategic alignment with NIST standards.
Organizations that act now—investing in the right tools, processes, and expertise—will emerge from the quantum transition stronger and more competitive. Those that wait risk being caught flat-footed when quantum computing moves from theoretical threat to practical reality.
Read the complete Forbes article for all five trends and a comprehensive roadmap to quantum readiness.
Plan Your NIST PQC Standards Strategy: “Ready to move beyond assessment to post-quantum cryptography implementation? Schedule a 30-minute consultation with our crypto-agility experts to discuss your organization’s specific quantum-safe encryption challenges and create a customized NIST PQC standards roadmap.”
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If renewing TLS certificates already feels like a recurring chore, it’s about to become a full-time job.
Welcome to the world of 47-day certificates.
With the CA/B Forum approving Apple’s proposal to reduce public TLS certificate lifespans from 398 days to just 47 days by 2029, organizations are staring at a major operational shift. The first change, reducing validity to 200 days, arrives as early as March next year.
This isn’t a minor update. It’s a full-blown lifestyle shift for PKI and security teams. To put it in perspective, if you’re managing 5,000 certificates today, that’s 5,000 renewals a year. But by 2029, that number jumps to 60,000 renewals annually. That’s 12x more work, risk, and complexity.
And with shorter cycles, the stakes are higher. Even one missed renewal can lead to costly outages, security risks, and compliance failures. According to a recent Forrester survey, 57% of surveyed organizations reported incurring costs of at least $100,000 per outage.
For PKI admins and security teams already juggling high workloads, manual processes and semi-automated scripts won’t scale. They weren’t built for this pace or this level of complexity. What feels “manageable” today could quickly spiral into chaos—unless automation steps in.
So, what does real, scalable, full-spectrum TLS certificate lifecycle automation look like in a 47-day world? And how are the best teams getting it right?
Let’s break it down.
What Modern-Day TLS Certificate Automation Really Looks Like
Adapting to a 47-day TLS means leaning on automation, but not the kind that just sends you renewal reminders and handles a few renewals.
On the surface, certificate lifecycle management (CLM) might look straightforward—enroll, provision, install, renew, and done. But in practice, it’s a complex and layered process. There’s domain validation to complete, endpoints to bind, configurations to check, policies to enforce, and cryptographic hygiene to maintain. All of it needs to happen on time, in the correct order, and in sync.
That’s why full lifecycle automation is essential. You need complete orchestration across the certificate lifecycle—discovery, monitoring, issuance, renewal, provisioning, revocation, and reporting.
The CISO’s Guide to Certificate Lifecycle Management (CLM)
Here’s what it looks like in practice:
1. Continuous Discovery and Foundational Visibility
You can’t automate what you can’t see.
A best-in-class CLM solution continuously discovers certificates across your entire environment, including on-prem, cloud, DevOps pipelines, public and private CAs, and even those hiding in shadow IT. It builds a centralized inventory, mapping certificates back to owners, systems, expiration timelines, and compliance status, giving you complete visibility into your certificate landscape. Instead of juggling spreadsheets, you get clean, rich visual dashboards to monitor every certificate, flag risks early, and stay ahead of expirations. This visibility forms the foundation for automation.
2. Zero-Touch Renewals at Scale
In a 47-day renewal cycle, manual renewals are a guaranteed bottleneck.
Best-in-class CLM solutions automate certificate renewals and provisioning end-to-end. From generating the key pair and CSR to submitting it to the appropriate Certificate Authority (CA), retrieving the renewed certificate, installing it, and even binding it to the correct endpoint or application, every step is seamlessly managed without human intervention.
These solutions integrate directly with public and private CAs, Cloud providers, DevOps toolchains, ITSM platforms, and endpoints, orchestrating certificate management across cross-functional teams. And instead of juggling CA-specific portals, you manage everything through a single, unified console with complete certificate visibility across the enterprise.
The result? No missed steps, no misconfigurations, no last-minute scrambles.
3. Built-In Policy Enforcement
Automation isn’t just about speed; it’s also about control.
Best-in-class CLM automation solutions enforce cryptographic and operational policies at every step. From key length and algorithms to CA trust, approval workflows, and expiration limits, policies are applied automatically, so every certificate issued meets your standards by default. Requests that don’t comply are blocked or flagged, reducing human error and tightening compliance even as certificate volumes grow.
Role-based access control (RBAC) adds another layer of governance, clearly defining who can request, approve, or issue certificates. That means fewer rogue certs, less sprawl, and tighter control across the board.
And with every action logged in detailed audit trails, both internal and external audits become faster and easier.
4. Real-Time Alerts and Reporting
When certificates only last 47 days, you need to know what’s at risk before it becomes a problem.
Best-in-class CLM automation solutions provide real-time alerts and reports for expiring, misconfigured, or non-compliant certificates. You receive proactive notifications well before a certificate expiry and detailed compliance reports to keep stakeholders informed. This transparency is essential for continuous monitoring when operating on monthly renewal cycles.
5. Crypto-Agility and Rapid Response
While 47-day certificates are the immediate challenge, cryptography is evolving fast.
Post-quantum cryptography, CA distrust events, and changing regulatory standards demand the ability to adapt quickly and at scale.
Best-in-class CLM platforms are built for crypto-agility. They support seamless algorithm changes, bulk certificate replacement, and CA migrations without downtime or disruption. So when the next big cryptographic shift hits, you’re ready, not racing to catch up.
The New Normal for CLM Starts Now
The 47-day mandate marks a turning point: TLS certificate management is no longer a set-it-and-forget-it task. It now demands visibility, automation, policy control, and crypto-agility.
This is your opportunity to move beyond manual workarounds, modernize CLM processes, and build future-ready crypto resilience.
Leading PKI teams aren’t struggling to modernize CLM processes on their own. Instead, they’re investing in purpose-built CLM platforms that scale with today’s demands.
AppViewX AVX ONE CLM is built for this new reality. It delivers the visibility, automation, and policy control that PKI and CLM teams need today to handle 47-day renewals and prepare for PQC.
Don’t wait for outages to force your hand. Learn how AVX ONE CLM can future-proof your certificate operations or request a demo to see it in action.
