IT Security & Compliance

Certificate Management with ServiceNow

Never let one expired certificate take down your business again.

Background

Certificates are essential to encrypt sensitive data (login credentials, credit card details) sent between browsers and servers, preventing interception, securing online communications and transactions. Organizations use various types of certificates, such as wildcard and multi-domain certificates, to protect their digital assets. However, managing these certificates can be complex, especially when dealing with large numbers of certificates across different departments and systems.

Problem Statement

•Lack of Visibility: Unknown certificate inventory and status make it difficult for organizations to track and manage their certificates effectively.
•Lack of ownership: Since the inventory is not readily available, owner for each certificate is unknown and not updated when changes happen causing delays in renewals or reaching out during an event.
•Unknown Expiration Dates: Certificates expire without notice, causing disruptions to business operations and potentially leading to security risks.
•Unutilized Certificates: Redundant certificates waste resources and cost money, resulting in unnecessary expenses.
•Inefficient Renewal: Manual renewal processes lead to errors and delays, risking missed renewal deadlines and potential security risks.
•Production Outages: Due to expired certificates, users will not be able to access applications causing huge loss to organizations.

Solution

Platform Used: ServiceNow

Centralized Inventory

All certificates are tracked and visible in one place, providing a single source of truth for certificate management. This centralized tracking enables organizations to easily manage their certificates and reduce the risk of errors or oversights.

Automated Workflow for Renewals

Notifications are sent before certificates expire, ensuring that organizations are aware of upcoming expirations and can take timely action to renew or replace certificates. Escalations are triggered based on the organization needs.

Automated Cleanup

Unused certificates are removed from the system, eliminating unnecessary expenses and reducing clutter. This automated cleanup process helps organizations optimize their certificate inventory and reduce costs.

Impact Measurement

•Certificate Expiry Report: Tracks certificates nearing expiration with owner and renewal status.
•Unutilized Certificate Report: Identifies and lists certificates that are no longer active or in use.
•Renewal Automation Report: Measures the reduction in manual renewal efforts and missed expirations.

Outcomes

Improved Visibility: Clear overview of certificate inventory and status enables organizations to effectively manage their certificates and reduce the risk of errors or oversights.
Reduced Risk: Minimized security risks from expired certificates ensure that organizations can maintain the security and integrity of their digital assets.
Increased Efficiency: Streamlined certificate management and renewal processes reduce the administrative burden associated with certificate management.
Cost Savings: Elimination of unutilized certificates reduces costs and optimizes certificate inventory.