Why 47-day SSL/TLS certificates can be used as a driver for crypto agility

Cryptography, despite its foundational role in every aspect of enterprise security, has long been quietly managed in the background by IT and security teams. Built on mathematical algorithms, protocols and computational methods to secure data, it’s unequivocally considered a technical concept, but its implications are strategic.

Cryptography underpins trust, compliance and risk management across an organization and one of the most visible applications of cryptography is in SSL/TLS certificates. Every certificate contains a public key, and its issuance, renewal and expiration are governed by cryptographic standards. With the dawn of quantum computing approaching, C-level leadership and boards need to recognize that achieving cryptographic agility is a key driver of successful business risk management, regulatory compliance and operational resilience. One practical lever for building crypto agility is through certificate agility, which forces organizations to modernize how they manage cryptographic assets.

The pressure to modernize

Our State of Crypto Agility Report, in partnership with global research firm Omdia, has revealed that organizations are facing unprecedented pressure to modernize their cryptographic systems. Two major forces are driving this shift:

• The shortening of SSL/TLS certificate lifespans to 47-days by 2029
• The looming threat of quantum computing

While these technical changes are well understood by CISOs and IT leaders, the report reveals a troubling gap in executive engagement, one that could jeopardize business continuing and long-term resilience.

Certificates as a catalyst for crypto agility

Shorter certificate lifespans are a forcing function towards crypto agility. By requiring frequent renewals, they compel organizations to:

• Inventory their cryptographic assets
• Automate certificate lifecycle management
• Improve visibility into where and how cryptography is used
• Coordinate across teams to avoid outages and misconfigurations

In other words, managing certificates effectively is a gateway to managing cryptography effectively.

The visibility gap is a business risk

Our research found that:

• Only 28% of organizations have a complete certificate inventory
• Only 13% feel extremely confident they are tracking all certificates (including rogue or shadow certificates)

This lack of visibility means many organizations are flying blind, unaware of where their cryptographic assets even reside, let alone how vulnerable they may be. To IT teams, this might be considered a technical oversight but in reality, it’s a business risk. Certificate-related outages can lead to service disruptions, compliance failures, and reputational damage.

As SSL/TLS certificate lifespans cut in half to just 200 days by March 2026 – requiring IT teams to renew certificates every six months – the operational burden of managing renewals will increase dramatically. By 2029, those certificates will need renewing on a monthly cadence. Alarmingly, less than 1 in 5 organizations feel ‘very prepared’ to handle monthly renewals.

A strategic opportunity for leadership

Short-lived certificates offer a unique opportunity for executive leadership to engage with cryptographic strategy in a tangible way. By treating certificate agility as a business priority, organizations can:

• Reduce the risk of outages and compliance violations
• Build the foundation for Post-Quantum Cryptography migration
• Improve cross-functional coordination between security, IT, and operations
• Establish governance frameworks like a Crypto Center of Excellence (CryptoCOE)

Ultimately, cryptographic agility starts with certificate agility. And certificate agility starts with executive awareness and investment. Forward-looking organizations should see SSL/TLS certificates and managing their shrinking lifespans as a catalyst for building the cryptographic agility needed to secure the future.

Want the full data, insights, and recommendations?

Learn how organizations are preparing (and where they’re falling short) on crypto agility, certificate management, and PQC readiness.

Related posts:

• Webinar: From the shadows to the spotlight: digital certificates have entered center stage
• Root Causes 520: How prepared are IT teams for 47-day certificates?
• Root Causes 521: How Prepared Are Enterprises for PQC? (Part 1)
• Root Causes 522: How Prepared Are Enterprises for PQC? (Part 2)