In today’s rapidly evolving digital landscape, ensuring the security of web applications is essential to ensure revenue growth and a positive business reputation. One critical aspect of this security is the management of SSL/TLS certificates. The AppViewX AVX ONE platform is a comprehensive solution designed to automate and streamline the end-to-end lifecycle of digital certificates within an organization. This includes processes such as certificate issuance, renewal, revocation, and overall management. AppViewX AVX ONE excels in automating intricate workflows, reducing manual efforts and enhancing overall operational efficiency.

The Challenge of Certificate Renewal in PingAccess

Certificate expiration is a critical concern in any IT environment, as it can lead to service disruptions and security vulnerabilities. In PingAccess, the challenge lies in identifying expiring certificates across various applications and renewing them promptly. Manual certificate management not only poses a risk of overlooking expirations but also consumes valuable resources and time.

How can AppViewX AVX ONE Help?

AppViewX AVX ONE discovers all the certificates from PingAccess and automates the renewals of the expiring certificates. Managing and Keeping track of the status of certificates, monitoring their expiration dates, and maintaining a comprehensive audit trail of certificate-related activities can be challenging. Without effective monitoring, organizations may be unaware of impending certificate expirations or potential security incidents. Following the renewal process, the updated certificate is pushed back to PingAccess, while the expired certificate in PingAccess is subsequently removed.
Managing certificates in PingAccess can present several challenges that organizations need to address to ensure secure and smooth operations.

Overview of the Automated Certificate Lifecycle Management Process

PingAccess Key Pairs and AppViewX AVX ONE Certificate Inventory

PingAccess key pairs play a pivotal role in securing web and internet communications. AppViewX AVX ONE certificate inventory management typically involves keeping track of digital certificates issued by a Certificate Authority (CA) within an organization. The automated process begins by connecting to the AppViewX AVX ONE Certificate Inventory through the Key Pairs API. This API facilitates the retrieval of information about existing certificates, including their metadata and expiration dates. Using scheduled discovery mechanisms, certificate inventory will always be up-to-date through workflow, reflecting the dynamic nature of web applications.

Certificate Discovery

Retrieving Certificates

The process is initiated by querying the API, extracting relevant certificate information, and updating the AppViewX AVX ONE Certificate Inventory. This step ensures that the AppViewX AVX ONE Certificate Inventory is a comprehensive repository of all certificates.

Handling New Certificates

During the scheduled discovery, any new certificates are automatically identified and added to the AppViewX AVX ONE Certificate Inventory. This proactive approach ensures that even recently acquired certificates are included in the certificate inventory.

Certificate Validation and Renewal

Checking Certificate Expiry

As a security measure, AppViewX AVX ONE regularly checks the expiration status of each certificate in the inventory. If a certificate is approaching its expiration date, AppViewX AVX ONE triggers automation workflows to process the renewal stage.

Certificate Renewal Process

When an expiring certificate is identified, AppViewX AVX ONE begins the renewal process by first adding the Certificate Authority (CA). Following this step, a new certificate is generated, and the Certificate Inventory is updated. Finally, the updated certificate is pushed to the PingAccess account to ensure a smooth transition.

Updating PingAccess Account

Pushing Renewed Certificates

To ensure a seamless transition, the automated process updates the PingAccess account with the renewed certificates. This step guarantees that the web applications continue to operate securely without any disruptions.

Removing Old Certificates

As a security best practice, AppViewX AVX ONE removes the old/expired certificates from the PingAccess account. This ensures good certificate hygiene and minimizes the risk of using outdated or compromised certificates in the environment.

In conclusion, the AppViewX AVX ONE automated certificate management process outlined above provides a comprehensive solution for maintaining the security of web applications using PingAccess. By regularly discovering, validating, renewing, and updating certificates, organizations can ensure a robust defense against potential security threats. Implementing such a system not only enhances security but also streamlines the certificate lifecycle management workflow, saving time and resources.

To learn more about the AppViewX AVX ONE certificate lifecycle management and PKI platform, schedule a demo today.

*** This is a Security Bloggers Network syndicated blog from Blogs Archive - AppViewX authored by Nandhini Muthusamy. Read the original post at: https://www.appviewx.com/blogs/appviewx-automated-certificate-management-for-pingaccess/