Hands typing on a keyboard with a secure HTTPS browser address bar and a security shield icon overlay, conveying automated TLS certificate management

Automation Is No Longer Optional — Especially With PQC on the Horizon

With the CA/B Forum ballot now officially passed, the industry’s move toward dramatically shorter TLS certificate lifespans is no longer speculative — it’s a reality. Certificates issued after March 15, 2029, will have a maximum validity of just 47 days. For organizations, this is a paradigm shift that not only demands automation, but also sets the stage for broader change — including the need for crypto-agility and preparation for post-quantum cryptography (PQC).

What’s New? The Ballot Has Passed Unanimously

CA/Browser Forum’s Ballot SC-081 passed unanimously. This definitive approval reflects a broad and shared understanding across the CA and browser communities that tighter certificate controls are necessary to strengthen the web’s trust foundation. The maximum allowed lifetime for Transport Layer Security (TLS) certificates and the period during which domain and IP address validation data may be reused for certificate issuance will also be shortened will be reduced in three phases.

Effective Date Until March 15, 2026 Starting March 15, 2026 Starting March 15, 2027 Starting March 15, 2029 Maximum TLS Certificate Lifetime 398 days 200 days 100 days 47 days Maximum Reuse Period for Domain/IP Validation 398 days 200 days 100 days 10 days

Other validation data reuse, such as organizational data, will drop from 825 to 398 days.

These are more than technical adjustments — they represent a strategic shift in how digital trust is maintained across the internet.

Why Automation Is Mission-Critical Today

Google’s push to 90-day certificates and Apple’s even more aggressive 47-day lifespan were strong indicators — but now that the ballot is passed, shorter certificate validity is an imminent, enforced standard. For IT and security teams, this means that manual certificate management is no longer sustainable. Automation isn’t just a recommendation; it’s an operational imperative.

The shortened certificate lifespan may enhance security by reducing the risk window for certificate misuse, but it also multiplies the operational complexity. Issuing, renewing and revoking certificates on a 47-day cycle — potentially dozens of times per year per certificate — is only feasible through robust automation.

The Bigger Picture: Crypto-Agility and Post-Quantum Preparedness

While automation addresses today’s challenges, it also lays the foundation for future readiness. With quantum computing on the horizon, organizations must begin preparing for PQC and adopt crypto-agile architectures that can transition to quantum-safe algorithms without overhauling core systems.

Shorter certificate lifespans, combined with automation, are powerful enablers of crypto-agility. They ensure that cryptographic changes — whether driven by PQC adoption or algorithm deprecation — can be deployed swiftly and with minimal disruption.

Automation + Crypto-Agility = Resilience

Future-ready organizations will not only automate the certificate lifecycle but also ensure that their infrastructure can adapt rapidly to cryptographic changes — a must-have in the post-quantum era.

Addressing Operational Challenges at Scale

Managing thousands of certificates in increasingly complex environments — often spanning multiple cloud platforms, on-prem infrastructure and legacy systems — is a non-trivial task. Automation addresses this by:

  • Eliminating human error through hands-off issuance, renewal and revocation
  • Enabling near real-time responsiveness to certificate-related incidents
  • Providing centralized visibility and reporting across all certificate assets

Solutions such as ACME-based automation, intelligent key rotation and integration-ready APIs are critical components of any scalable strategy.

If you’re struggling with legacy limitations, hybrid approaches — such as proxy automation, scripting, or phased migrations — can ease the transition without compromising compliance.

Not All Automation Models Are Equal

As organizations move to comply with the new 47-day standard, it’s important to understand the automation landscape. Whether you're using agent-based systems or API-driven connector models like HID’s, your choice of automation model will affect scalability, ease of deployment and ongoing management.

Equally important is the licensing model. Some vendors impose certificate caps that can interrupt automated processes or introduce unexpected costs. HID offers transparent pricing with no penalties for overages — so your automation journey is secure, predictable and scalable.

What Now?

With the CA/B Forum’s shorter certificate lifespan officially mandated, automation has moved from best practice to baseline. But it doesn’t stop there — crypto-agility and PQC-readiness must now enter every security team’s roadmap.

By embracing automation today, organizations can:

  • Stay compliant with the new 47-day validity standard
  • Reduce administrative burden and operational risk
  • Lay the foundation for a crypto-agile, post-quantum future

Explore our PKI Automation Strategies eBook to learn how to operationalize automation and crypto-agility.

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