What Should Universities Do for SSL/TLS Certificate Management?

Keeping SSL/TLS certificates in good shape is important for secure communication in university networks. Here are some simple practices that schools should follow:

1. Keep a List:

   • Make a complete list of all SSL/TLS certificates.
   • Use automated tools to see the status and expiration dates of the certificates in real-time.
   • A report says that 70% of organizations don’t fully know about their certificates. This can lead to problems and security risks.

2. Renew Regularly:

   • Make a plan to renew certificates regularly so there are no gaps.
   • Use automated renewal processes to reduce mistakes and keep secure connections going.
   • Certificates usually last about 13 months. Universities should start renewing them at least 30 days before they expire.

3. Use Certificate Pinning:

   • Implement certificate pinning to prevent attacks that try to intercept data. This helps build trust in the communication channels used by universities.
   • Studies show that 5% of data breaches are linked to weak SSL/TLS practices. This highlights the need for strong protections like pinning.

4. Choose Strong Encryption Standards:

   • Make sure to use the latest version of TLS (like TLS 1.3) for every service. Older versions, such as SSL 3.0 and TLS 1.0, have known problems.
   • Switching to TLS 1.3 can make connections faster by 60%, which is a big boost for user experience.

5. Train and Educate:

   • Provide regular training for IT staff about the importance of SSL/TLS certificate management.
   • According to the Cybersecurity & Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA), 93% of security problems involve human mistakes. This shows the need for ongoing training.

By following these practices, universities can make their networks safer and protect important data from possible security breaches.