SSL certificate expiration is one of the most common causes of website outages. Learn how to prevent this with automated SSL monitoring.
The Cost of Expired Certificates
When an SSL certificate expires, several problems occur. Users see scary security warnings that drive them away. Search engines penalize your site in rankings. Trust is damaged with customers and partners. Revenue is lost during the outage period.
Major companies have experienced this embarrassing situation, and it's entirely preventable with proper monitoring.
How SSL Monitoring Works
MonitorPlatform automatically checks your SSL certificates daily and alerts you at critical milestones. You'll receive alerts 30 days before expiration, 14 days before expiration, 7 days before expiration, and when the certificate actually expires.
Setting Up SSL Monitoring
Setting up SSL monitoring is incredibly simple. Just add your domain and we'll automatically detect and monitor the SSL certificate. You can configure custom alert thresholds based on your renewal process.
Certificate Information Tracked
Our monitoring tracks several important pieces of information about your certificates:
We monitor the expiration date and send timely alerts. We check the issuing certificate authority to ensure validity. We verify the certificate chain for proper configuration. We monitor the domain names covered by the certificate. We check the signature algorithm for security standards.
Best Practices for Certificate Management
Follow these best practices to avoid certificate-related outages:
Monitor all your domains and subdomains. Set up multiple alert channels for redundancy. Document your certificate renewal process clearly. Use calendar reminders as a backup system. Consider auto-renewal where possible with Let's Encrypt or similar services.
Common Certificate Issues
Be aware of these common problems:
Expired certificates happen when renewal is forgotten. Mismatched domains occur when the certificate doesn't cover all domains. Invalid certificate chains cause browser warnings. Weak encryption happens with outdated algorithms. Missing intermediate certificates break the trust chain.
Renewal Process
Plan your certificate renewal process carefully. Start the renewal process at least 14 days before expiration. Test the new certificate in a staging environment first. Update all servers and load balancers with the new certificate. Verify the installation with SSL checker tools. Monitor for any issues after deployment.
Wildcard Certificates
Wildcard certificates can simplify management for multiple subdomains. They cover all subdomains under a domain. They reduce the number of certificates to manage. However, they have security implications if compromised. They require careful access control and management.
Let's Encrypt Integration
Let's Encrypt provides free SSL certificates with auto-renewal capabilities. Certificates are valid for 90 days and auto-renew at 30 days. Integration is simple with most web servers. Monitoring is still important to catch renewal failures.
Don't let an expired certificate take your site down. Set up SSL monitoring today and get peace of mind!