Certificate management in cybersecurity encompasses the processes and practices involved in obtaining, installing, storing, renewing, and revoking digital certificates. These certificates are crucial for:

  • Encryption: Securing communication channels (HTTPS) and protecting sensitive data during transmission.  

  • Authentication: Verifying the identity of websites, users, and devices.  

  • Data integrity: Ensuring that data hasn't been tampered with during transit.  

Effective certificate management is vital to prevent security breaches, maintain user trust, and ensure business continuity.  

How ThreatNG Helps with Certificate Management

ThreatNG contributes to robust certificate management by:

1. Continuous Monitoring & Discovery:

  • Identify all certificates: ThreatNG automatically discovers and inventories all TLS certificates associated with your organization's domains and subdomains. This provides a comprehensive view of your certificate landscape.

  • Monitor certificate status: ThreatNG continuously monitors the status of your certificates, alerting you to upcoming expirations, revoked certificates, or any anomalies. This helps prevent service disruptions and security vulnerabilities.

  • Detect misconfigurations: ThreatNG identifies potential misconfigurations, such as certificates without corresponding subdomains or subdomains without certificates. This helps you maintain a secure and compliant certificate infrastructure.

2. Reporting & Collaboration:

  • Generate detailed reports: ThreatNG reports your certificate inventory, status, and potential issues. These reports can be used to track certificate lifecycles, identify areas for improvement, and demonstrate compliance.  

  • Facilitate collaboration: ThreatNG's features allow security teams to share information and coordinate certificate management tasks, ensuring efficient and effective processes.

3. Intelligence Repositories:

  • Leverage threat intelligence: ThreatNG's intelligence repositories provide information on known vulnerabilities associated with specific certificates or certificate authorities. This helps you proactively address potential risks.

Complementary Solutions & Services

ThreatNG can be complemented with the following tools and services for enhanced certificate management:

  • Certificate management platforms: These platforms automate certificate lifecycle management, including issuance, renewal, and revocation. Examples include Keyfactor Command, Venafi Trust Protection Platform, and Sectigo Certificate Manager.  

  • Vulnerability scanners: Regularly scan your systems and applications to identify certificate vulnerabilities, such as outdated SSL/TLS versions or weak cipher suites.

  • Security information and event management (SIEM) systems: Integrate ThreatNG with your SIEM to centralize security monitoring and incident response, including certificate-related events.

Examples with Investigation Modules

1. Domain Intelligence:

  • Certificate Intelligence: ThreatNG's Certificate Intelligence module provides detailed information about each certificate, including its status, issuer, expiration date, and associated domains. This helps you track and manage your certificates effectively.  

  • Subdomain Intelligence: ThreatNG can identify subdomains without certificates or expired certificates, highlighting potential security risks by analyzing subdomain configurations.  

2. Sensitive Code Exposure:

  • Identify exposed certificates: ThreatNG can detect sensitive information like private keys or certificates exposed in code repositories, enabling you to take immediate action to secure them.

3. Archived Web Pages:

  • Analyze historical certificate usage: ThreatNG's analysis of archived web pages can reveal historical certificate usage patterns, helping you identify potential weaknesses or inconsistencies in your certificate management practices over time.

4. Technology Stack:

  • Identify technologies using certificates: ThreatNG can identify the technologies your organization uses that rely on certificates, such as web servers, email servers, and VPNs. This helps you prioritize certificate management efforts for critical systems.

By combining ThreatNG's capabilities with complementary solutions and services, organizations can establish a robust certificate management program that ensures the security and integrity of their digital infrastructure.