Certificate Lifecycle Management Fails Without Automation as Certificate Sprawl and Shortened Lifespans Increase Risk, Finds Info-Tech Research Group
Certificate management has become almost unmanageable due to shrinking certificate lifespans and the sprawl of both human and non-human identities. Traditional PKI cryptography isn't robust enough to meet these challenges. Info-Tech Research Group has published new resource to help enterprises adopt Certificate Lifecycle Management, an automation-enabled framework to reduce operational risk and secure digital trust.
ARLINGTON, Va., April 14, 2026 /PRNewswire/ - Already grappling with growing security risk, organizations are also facing unprecedented cryptographic challenges, according to new resource findings from Info-Tech Research Group. The firm's newly published blueprint highlights that digital certificates are proliferating, machine identities are multiplying, and certificate lifespans are shrinking from years to mere weeks. In this rapidly shifting environment, traditional Public Key Infrastructure (PKI) is no longer sufficient to maintain trust. Info-Tech addresses the problem with its recently published blueprint, Master Certificate Lifecycle Management, a comprehensive resource with a four-phase roadmap for automating certificate management to achieve true crypto-agility and safeguard digital trust.
With certificate validity periods getting shorter, manual certificate renewal and tracking are becoming impossible to sustain. As AI agents, IoT devices, and post-quantum cryptography (PQC) redefine enterprise security, Info-Tech's blueprint findings suggest that organizations adopt certificate lifecycle management (CLM) to ensure continuity, compliance, and resilience.
"Organizations that fail to automate certificate management are exposing themselves to higher risk of outages, breaches, financial losses, and reputational damage," says Jon Nelson, a principal advisory director in the security and privacy practice at Info-Tech Research Group. "With certificate lifespans set to shrink to just 47 days by 2029, crypto-agility isn't a luxury; it's the backbone of digital trust. IT and security leaders must evolve their PKI strategies now to prepare for shorter certificate cycles and the post-quantum future."
Info-Tech's Four-Phase Framework for Crypto-Agility
The Master Certificate Lifecycle Management blueprint outlines a step-by-step CLM framework designed to help enterprises strengthen security and scalability through automation. The four key phases include:
- Observe – Security and IT operations teams are responsible for discovering, monitoring, and maintaining a centralized inventory of all certificates across the environment. Their role is to ensure full visibility, identify risks such as unknown or noncompliant certificates, and establish continuous monitoring practices.
- Standardize – Security architects and governance leaders define cryptographic standards, architectures, and policies. This group ensures that certificate practices are consistent, compliant, and aligned with organizational risk tolerance and regulatory requirements.
- Automate – IT operations, platform engineering, and DevOps teams implement automation across certificate lifecycle processes, including issuance, renewal, and revocation. Their responsibility is to reduce manual effort, eliminate human error, and enable scalable certificate management across systems.
- Measure – Security leadership, risk, and compliance teams track performance metrics and program effectiveness. They are accountable for monitoring KPIs, identifying gaps, and driving continuous improvement to ensure the CLM program remains resilient and aligned with evolving threats.
The blueprint is also supported by four practical tools to help organizations operationalize crypto-agility, including:
- PKI Services Certificate Policy Template – Craft a clear, cohesive policy for every stage of the PKI certificate lifecycle.
- CLM, PKI & PQC Maturity Checklist – Evaluate readiness for post-quantum cryptography.
- CLM & PKI Program RACI Chart – Assign levels of ownership and responsibility for CLM and PKI processes to people within the organization.
- PKI Vendor Evaluation Tool – Compare and shortlist CLM solution providers and select a vendor.
"Crypto-agility allows organizations to seamlessly adapt their cryptographic methods to meet changing security demands," adds Nelson. "By adopting an automation-driven CLM strategy today, leaders can stay ahead of rapidly shrinking certificate lifespans and build a resilient security posture that will stand up to quantum threats tomorrow."
The firm's blueprint findings and supporting tools help IT and security leaders build, automate, and measure their certificate management programs for lasting digital trust. By applying Info-Tech's insights, organizations can move from reactive cryptographic management to a proactive, scalable, and future-ready model.
For exclusive and timely commentary from Jon Nelson, an expert in security and privacy, and access to the complete Master Certificate Lifecycle Management blueprint, please contact [email protected].
About Info-Tech Research Group
Info-Tech Research Group is one of the world's leading and fastest-growing research and advisory firms, serving over 30,000 IT, HR, and marketing professionals around the globe. As a trusted product and service leader, the company delivers unbiased, highly relevant research and industry-leading advisory support to help leaders make strategic, timely, and well-informed decisions. For nearly 30 years, Info-Tech has partnered closely with teams to provide everything they need, from actionable tools to expert guidance, ensuring they deliver measurable results for their organizations.
To learn more about Info-Tech's HR research and advisory services, visit McLean & Company, and for data-driven software buying insights and vendor evaluations, visit the firm's SoftwareReviews platform.
Media professionals can register for unrestricted access to research across IT, HR, and software and hundreds of industry analysts through the firm's Media Insiders program. To gain access, contact [email protected].
For information about Info-Tech Research Group or to access the latest research, visit infotech.com and connect via LinkedIn and X.
SOURCE Info-Tech Research Group
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