The lifecycle Management of Digital Certificates is a field of computer security and management. This includes the protection of digital certificates from being compromised or stolen. It also takes into account the creation, distribution and management of these certificates. The lifecycle of a digital certificate typically ranges between six months to a year. Although the specific time frame may vary across programs, they all have some common aspects that will be unique to each provider.

The first step in managing digital certificates is creating them. Most providers create the certificates with private keys. The private key serves as the account of an individual certificate and it is only accessible by the specific user for that particular certificate. As such, this is the most secure form of managing digital certificates.

The second step in managing digital certificates is encryption. Encryption is important when managing these certificates because there are many ways an encrypted file can be compromised. An encryption key is needed to sign the file during the digital certificate process. Therefore, there needs to be an encryption key that ensures the integrity of the file being sent. There are several different encryption keys that can be used in the creation and management of the certificate and these can include 128-bit encryption keys and elliptical encryption keys.

Once the file is encrypted, it can be sent to the various certificate authority to activate the associated expiry dates. Usually, each authority will have their own expiry date. There is also a feature that will determine the validity period. Some expirations will last for one year and some will last for six months. However, once the expiry period has expired, then the certificate is considered null and void and cannot be used to issue digital signatures.

The third step in managing digital certificates is to regularly test for updates. This can be done through an online check. This ensures that there are no errors that will be presented during the lifetime of the certificate. Aside from testing, regular updates are needed to make sure that the file being managed is as accurate as it can be. Therefore, automate the generation of the updates. There are several software programs that can be used for this purpose.

Management of certificates requires not only for certificate expiration but also for revocation. Revocation involves the removal of a private key or certificate from the system. There are two different types of revocations that can be made. Manual revocations require the physical attendance of the individual who issued the private key or certificate. However, automated startup can be done through email or text message.

Finally, digital certificates management must ensure that the private key is kept a safe distance from the system. It is possible for a person to steal a digital certificate by having access to the private key. Therefore, startup is advised to keep the private key in a safe place that cannot be accessed by anyone else. Certificate storage is also a part of the management process. There are storage facilities that can be found in the internet for people to keep their certificates in order to avoid digital certificates from being compromised.

With the proper management process, one will be able to avoid certificate revocations or even certificate expirations. Managing certificates can be done through the use of automation. There are various tools that can be used for this purpose. These tools include crls, servers, and clients. The best part about these tools is that they can automate the entire process which greatly reduces the time that is needed for handling certificate files.