Sectigo's report reveals industry challenges in digital trust

Sectigo, a key player in digital certificates and Certificate Lifecycle Management (CLM), has launched its inaugural State of Crypto Agility Report, co-researched with Omdia. The report delves into enterprises' readiness for two seismic reforms in digital trust: the revolutionising of SSL/TLS certificate lifespans to a mere 47 days by 2029 and the fast-approaching shift to post-quantum cryptography (PQC) by 2030.

Tim Callan, chief compliance officer at Sectigo said, “Today, certificates are front and centre in the fight to secure our digital future. Building certificate agility now is the fastest path to achieving the crypto agility required for post-quantum cryptography readiness later.”

Organisations face formidable challenges with both transformations individually. With both coming together a new approach must be devised. 90% of companies recognise a symbiotic relationship between prepping for short-lived certificates and PQC readiness, with transitioning to 47-day certificates seen as a critical gateway to PQC adoption. However, organisational readiness for either issue is low.

The key findings of Sectigo's research are

• 47-day SSL/TLS certificates
• 96% of firms express concerns over the impact of shorter SSL/TLS certificate durations on operations.
• A mere 19% report feel fully prepared for the shift to the 47-day renewal cycle.
• Alarmingly, only 5% have embraced full automation in certificate management, leaving the vast majority reliant on manual processes, heightening operational risk as renewal frequencies escalate.
• 28% possess a comprehensive certificate inventory, with 13% expressing confidence in tracking rogue certificates.
• PQC migration
• 98% of organisations anticipate facing hurdles with PQC implementation, whilst 92% expect barriers during the transition.
• Just 14% have conducted a thorough assessment of systems vulnerable to quantum threats.
• Only 15% feel utterly confident in integrating PQC without major disruptions.
• Encouragingly, 90% have budgeted for PQC readiness within the next year, with 92% planning increased investment in two-three years.

Rik Turner, Omdia's chief analyst, cybersecurity highlights a pivotal enterprise moment: "Managing shorter certificate lifecycles cannot be treated as a seperate IT task; it is central to building crypto agility necessary for the PQC transition."