Just like driving licenses, SSL certificates expire, too. They’re digital files that work to encrypt data and authenticate connections between servers and clients. The fact that certification expires after a set amount of time is all thanks to regulation. Before, SSLs lasted for five years before requiring renewals. 

 

By setting a timeline for expirations, authorities are able to keep up with company name and ownership changes, bankruptcies, and closures. If certificates didn’t expire, entities that cease to exist would still be considered as valid. Scammers would then use this fact to their benefit, potentially acting as a trusted party.  

It goes without saying, but an expired SSL certificate has devastating effects. Put aside the negative impressions the public will have; the company might also be on the losing end in monetary terms. Just ask LinkedIn and Eriksson if they’d ever let their SSL certificates expire ever again.

 

When an SSL lapses on your website server, browsers will inform everyone that your site is not secure. Security warnings will appear, and most search engines will even go as far as preventing users from accessing your URL. What happens then? Well, your traffic will plummet as a big portion of your audience will just search for a safer alternative.

Running a company and website takes a lot of work. Most of the time, people do not have the wherewithal to follow up on every email notification. That's where Linko comes in. Linko monitors expiration dates so nothing goes awry. 

 

To find out what to do if your SSL certificate expires, get in touch with Linko! That’s right - we can put out fires, too. Start your free trial today!