PKI as a Service: The New Reality for a Secure Cyberspace?

Now that the world seems to inch towards an IT-driven economy, securing public key infrastructure (PKI) has become as pressing as ever. Today, PKI is found everywhere, from encrypting data to authenticating digital identity and ensuring cyber integrity. 

Public key infrastructure (PKI) is a method of authentication that uses encrypted certificates and keys to authenticate user devices. With the ever-growing need for more privacy-oriented transactions in a cyber-threatened workspace, it has risen as a popular solution in the digital identity marketplace.

As a result of PKI’s growing popularity over the last five years, the number of websites using HTTPS protocol for leak proofing communications has risen from 3% a few years ago to 75% in 2021, according to W3Techs.

Ironclad Security in a Growing Remote Workplace

PKIs have an everywhere and anywhere use case when it comes to NetDevOps (network development and operations). From securing cloud infrastructure to SSL (secure sockets layer) certificates for public websites and code signing, PKIs are able to prevent attackers from compromising an organisation’s workspace.

Most firms have already shifted from traditional password protection to certificate-based security models. Moreover, PKI certificates are automatically insured against phishing attacks and considered a more secure way for logging into sensitive systems.

Given the rise in remote working due to the COVID-19 pandemic, digital identities require more than just firewalls to expand connections. Today, a centralised PKI management solution unifying authentication, encryption, digital signing, and email protection is an ideal choice for securing an entire enterprise environment.

And according to IBM’s Cost of a Data Breach Report 2021, companies with no zero-trust models lose around $1.76 million (£1.35 million) to cyberattacks every year. To avoid these costs and to protect users against rising cyber threats, many companies switched to PKI models.

For example, NquiringMinds, a healthcare and agritech software model, offers PKI via a blockchain security alternative. By devising a decentralised structure where no single team or individual owns the resources, it limits privacy breaches and email-based phishing attacks.

Challenges of PKI

However, managing PKIs offers several challenges, especially for cloud-heavy industries. The task requires a 24/7 crypto team to manage compliance and cloud infrastructure. With the market gap between cryptography experts and demand, most companies cannot find the right PKI manager, leading them to outsource their PKI efforts.

Further, tracking private certificates is another daunting job for already strained engineering teams. Typical methods involve recording all transactions in an Excel sheet or Google notes; however, given the number of certificates going in and out of the system every day, it’s fairly possible to lose track of the system.

Moreover, most PKI deployments run for 15–20 years. As cyber infrastructure typically undergoes changes every five years, these deployments will likely become outdated before their time is up. Thus, configuring PKIs requires constant updates over time.

For example, Microsoft Certificate Authority was an obvious choice for cloud companies in the early 2000s. However, the level of cyber threats faced by global organisations today needs more than just a compliance body for PKI protection. And recently, the University of Maryland has highlighted vulnerabilities in the PKI’s code-signing model.

PKI Vendors on Parade

To keep up with changing infrastructure trends, organisations looking to upgrade or integrate a public key infrastructure should seek a platform that offers scalability and flexibility.

Keyfactor, a London-based PKI as a Service company, combines PKI delivery with certificate automation into a single product for companies finding it difficult to scale with existing PKI infrastructure. The software is subscription-based and can be handled by DevOps users without much PKI expertise.

Google’s Certificate Authority Service is another scalable solution for PKI development and private certificate management. The software also offers multiple CA (certificate authority) pools for stringent identity verification along with custom integrations and a terraform provider for managing certificate rotation. Google has recently partnered with Jetstack, Keyfactor and Venafi to create more personalised PKI solutions.

Where’s the PKI Industry Headed?

Today’s digital world is dealing with a lose-lose situation where cyberattacks have become more threatening while current protection measures are becoming steadily more redundant. Companies should prioritise PKI-related innovations, so future data can be preserved and potential attacks thwarted.

A quantum-driven PKI might be one alternative in the distant future. The UK Research and Innovation’s recent endeavour towards funding quantum solutions for data security is a welcome step.

As per Research and Market’s forecast on PKIs, the global PKI economy is expected to grow $9.8 billion (£7.53 billion) by 2026, with an estimated growth rate of 20.2% year over year. With this kind of growth, PKI deployment is inevitable.

However, a PKI developed for a Web3-based fintech company might not suit the pharma industry. The needs are different and so are data processed and threats faced. Creating more specialised, custom PKI solutions with user integrations is the key to ensuring a higher adoption rate.

Avya Chaudhary
Avya Chaudhary
Avya Chaudhary is an engineer turned writer and an ardent Potterhead. Currently associated with TechnologyAdvice as a freelance writer, Avya develops high-quality content for businesses. She also has a well-demonstrated history of working with NGOs and civil societies, and is currently pursuing her passion for community service and content marketing.
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