Page 43 - Cyber Defense eMagazine - October 2017

Thinking of switching to a new certificate provider?

With the sweeping changes being implemented by Google (and Mozilla by extension),
some companies may be considering making a switch to a new SSL service provider.

While it’s not necessarily an extremely complex process, it will be necessary to plan this
out. It is also strongly recommended you give yourself enough time to determine
whether you want to remain with your current CA, or if you do indeed want to jump to a
new one.

If you’re strongly considering making a switch, following are some important steps to
consider.

At the outset, it will be important to survey and access your existing certificates, your
company’s needs as well as your usage. You should also be inventorying everything so
you know what needs replacing once you decide to make a switch. In addition, it will be
necessary to identify
which of your team members will manage your new account. Making sure you train
these individuals on the new GUI (Graphical User Interface) is key, and you should
factor any training time into your transition timeline.

Also important during the certificate authority switch is API integration. If you have one
with your current CA, there will need to be a similar integration with your prospective
new CA who should have satisfactory API documentation, and be able to provide
support and guidance throughout the on-boarding process.

Another critical element in this process will be estimating the costs involved of a switch.
You should be thinking about everything from capital and operational expenditures to
annual costs, product definitions and any set-up fees you’ll incur with the new CA.

43 Cyber Defense eMagazine – October 2017 Edition
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