You probably don’t spend a whole lot of time thinking about your SSL certificates. We don’t blame you, why would you? They’re the thing that you got for free, automatically when you got a brand website, just so browsers let your customers access your page without screaming warnings at them. 
 
Maybe you take them more seriously. You use paid SSL to ensure your websites are as safe as possible, protected and covered should anything go wrong. Well done. At BrandShelter, we obviously think that choosing the right SSL certificate for each of your websites is vital. And this means you’re ahead of the pack. 

But things in the SSL world are about to get more challenging. A security risk tsunami is on the horizon. And the preparations the industry is making in preparation for it, while being vital to protect against the danger, will make managing SSL certificates more complicated, with the potential for accidental mishaps growing exponentially. 
 
Still, it doesn’t have to be all dark clouds. And we’re here to share some of the things you can do to get ready. Not just ready to avoid disaster, but prepared to thrive. 

The Coming SSL Storm 

Ever since the early days of the internet, we’ve had people trying to hack their way through our websites. The arms race between the white and black hat security folks has continued in the background, sometimes loudly sometimes not. The same is true in the world of SSL certificates, keeping websites secure. But the industry is currently preparing for the next big thing. The Post-Quantum Cryptography (PQC) world.  

The danger on the horizon involves quantum computers, able to do decryption at speeds we couldn’t imagine ten years ago. Back then boast was that a supercomputer would take 100 years to crack a password. That same password could be cracked in no time on a quantum computer. 
 
But the industry hasn’t been just watching. Not only have they been hard at work coming up with codes, they’ve also come up with different security practices to better handle our new reality. 

One of the key new changes is the new SSL certificate lifecycle. Instead of renewing your SSL every 398 days, the industry is moving gradually towards a dramatically shorter 47-day lifecycle. The reason is simple: if an SSL certificate is compromised, there’ll be a much shorter window of opportunity for the attacker. While repeated verifications mean they won’t be able to steal your identity and cause long term harm.  
 
The Split Management Security Risk 

More renewals may keep us safer from the PQC threat, but it also means more work, and more opportunities for someone to drop the ball. And when you have multiple domains and websites across multiple providers, each juggling multiple renewal dates, the chance of something going – even if it’s tiny – increases significantly. 
 
You may be tracking when renewals are coming up in a spreadsheet, or via reminders, but when business gets busy things get lost. And letting your SSL certificate expire will mean that every visitor to your site gets blocked by a warning screen from their browsers. Most APIs require HTTPS access, as do payment solutions; both will stop working. Altogether, this would lead to lost revenue and potential reputational damage. 

Similarly, with the amount of separate notification emails you’d be receiving from providers – especially if you have a large collection of domains and websites to manage – it creates more opportunities for malicious actors to find someone being inattentive and click on the wrong link.  
 
Streamline your SSL & Domain Management 

The answer is obvious: Cut down on the number of different contact points by unifying your domain and SSL certificates under one roof.  Here’s where the magic happens. Instead of juggling multiple renewal dates across different providers, you get one dashboard that handles everything. No more spreadsheet chaos, no more missed deadlines, no more “wait, which provider was that certificate with again?” moments. 

Not only that, but by switching to a single provider, you’re likely saving both time and money – while hopefully gaining a partner who’s increased visibility over your internet presence will help keep your online brands safe. 
 
The BrandShelter Advantage 

You already trust BrandShelter with your domains. Now we’re bringing that same expertise to SSL certificates, because frankly, it makes perfect sense. Your domains and SSL certificates are already joined at the hip. They need to work together seamlessly. So, why split them across different providers when you can have one team managing both? 

BrandShelter simplifies this with unified domain and SSL certificate management that has the expertise to understand your brand’s specific needs and tailor a solution that fits you. Need an EV certificate for your main site and basic DV for your microsites? We’ve got you covered – and have OV for business verification too. Managing a complex portfolio with different validation requirements? Our team knows exactly how to structure it. And our domain monitoring dashboard will keep everything visible and easily controllable.

Plus, here’s the kicker: when something goes wrong (and let’s face it, it will at some point), you’re not bouncing between support teams trying to figure out whether it’s a domain issue or an SSL issue, with each provider trying to blame the other. One call, one expert team, one solution. 

Next Steps 

Ready to get ahead of the SSL storm? The time to act is now, before those 47-day renewal cycles become the industry standard and before the Post-Quantum Cryptography transition adds even more complexity to your security stack. 

Start with a free mini SSL audit. Our team will review your current setup, identify potential vulnerabilities, and show you exactly how consolidating with BrandShelter can simplify your life. No obligation, no sales pitch; just honest advice about what’s coming and how to prepare.

Your domains are business critical. Your SSL certificates deserve the same expert care. 

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