The Clock is Ticking: SSL Certificates Will Soon Only Be Valid for One Year

Apple initiated the move — and now all major browser manufacturers are following suit: SSL certificates will soon only be valid for a maximum of one year. But what does this mean for centron customers and website operators?

In March, Apple announced at the CA/Browser Forum in Bratislava that its Safari browser will only accept SSL certificates with a validity period of one year (exactly 397 days). Following Apple’s lead, Microsoft, Mozilla and Google have also implemented the same limitation. This step marks a major change in digital certificate management and affects virtually all website operators.

What Do centron Customers Need to Do?

The short answer: not much. All SSL certificates that were issued or purchased before August 30, 2020 remain valid until their original expiry date. Certificates issued after September 1, 2020 will now only be valid for a maximum of one year and must then be renewed accordingly. It’s important to simply keep this shorter renewal cycle in mind to avoid interruptions in your website’s secure connection.

centron customers don’t need to worry — our team ensures continuous certificate monitoring and automatic renewal options to maintain uninterrupted SSL security across all hosted domains.

Why Shorter Certificate Lifetimes Make Sense

At first glance, it may seem unnecessary for digital certificates to expire — after all, they don’t “spoil” like physical goods. However, the decision by Apple, Google and others follows clear security logic. Shorter lifespans mean:

• Higher security: Shorter certificate cycles reduce the risk of compromised or outdated encryption algorithms being used for too long.
• Faster adaptation: Updates to encryption standards and CA policies can be implemented more quickly across all systems.
• Better transparency: Regular renewals ensure more frequent validation of domain ownership and identity, preventing misuse.

Reliable SSL Management with centron

To keep your websites secure and trusted, centron automatically handles the management, renewal and deployment of SSL certificates within its hosting infrastructure. Our systems continuously monitor expiration dates, ensuring seamless encryption and full compliance with modern browser requirements.

Learn more about centron’s Trust Center and our Managed Security Services for professional SSL lifecycle management and compliance.