Certificates

Automate Certificate Management: Use a certificate management solution to automate the issuance, renewal, and revocation of certificates. Tools like Let’s Encrypt, Certbot, and Kubernetes certmanager can help automate these processes.

Certificate Policies: Implement policies to ensure that certificates are regularly rotated and do not expire unexpectedly. Define procedures for certificate issuance, renewal, and revocation.

TLS/SSL Certificates: Use TLS/SSL certificates to encrypt data in transit between clients and servers. Ensure that certificates use strong cryptographic algorithms and key sizes.

Mutual TLS (mTLS): Implement mutual TLS to authenticate both the client and the server, providing an additional layer of security.

Trusted CA: Use a trusted Certificate Authority (CA) to issue certificates. For internal certificates, implement a private CA to maintain control over the issuance process.

CA Hierarchy: Establish a CA hierarchy with root and intermediate CAs to improve security and manageability.

Revocation Mechanisms: Implement certificate revocation mechanisms such as Certificate Revocation Lists (CRLs) or Online Certificate Status Protocol (OCSP) to revoke compromised certificates. Regularly check the status of certificates and revoke them if necessary.

Revocation Policies: Define and enforce policies for certificate revocation, including criteria for revocation and procedures for handling compromised certificates.

Keep Tools Up to Date: Keep certificate management tools and libraries up to date with the latest security patches and updates. Monitor security advisories and apply patches promptly to address vulnerabilities.