PKI (Public Key Infrastructure) is widely used in IT organizations; it is a system of digital certificates for users, devices, and applications to authenticate and encrypt digital identities. PKIs are the foundation that enables the use of digital technologies. Also, new-generation business applications are becoming more reliant on PKI technology; more application devices depending on electronic interaction require online authentication and compliance with stringent data security regulations.
Today, the PKI framework is deployed massively because the number of cloud-based and internet-connected devices is increasing in all fields. PKI supports identity management services across networks inherent with transport layer security and a secure socket layer for protecting internet traffic. PKIs support desktop login, mobile banking, document and transaction signing, application code signing, and time-stamping. As we know, PKIs use digital certificates. These credentials facilitate the verification of identities between users in a transaction, just like a person’s passport to certify the country of origin. Certificate authorities (CA) issue the digital credentials used to certify the identity of users.
PKI has become a critical element of digital security, but proper deployment is essential. It is complex in nature to deploy and requires deep expertise. Any environmental errors and misconfigurations can expose enterprise operations and digital assets to unnecessary risk. Below are the few common challenges faced by the organization:
Certificate Problems: If keys are not sufficiently strong, they become a point of exposure, and long certificate lifespans could also pose a security risk. Rotating certificates more often leads to less attack risk and increases manual efforts.
Deployment: Maintaining the CA servers and their infrastructure is complex and requires subject matter expertise. In the on-premises environment, certificate automation is another crucial piece of the PKI deployment puzzle. Manual certificate management becomes challenging as the number of certificates the organization uses expands. Hence, automation plays a critical role.
Visibility Problems: IT may be running its operation successfully without knowing what certificates you have in use. Two of the most frequent issues in visibility are rogue certificates and certificate authorities. Such scenarios can create a platform for bad actors to develop illegitimate websites that are difficult to distinguish from real ones.
Microsoft Cloud PKI
Microsoft has an answer for organizations dealing with PKI infrastructure issues: Microsoft Cloud PKI is the latest addition to Microsoft Intune Suite. It reduces the complexity of management, and such infrastructure also saves costs.
The new Microsoft PKI simplifies certificate management, and organizations can leap toward digital transformation. Microsoft Cloud PKI will deliver certificates across multiple platforms, including Windows, Andriod, macOS, and iOS. Also, it manages the entire lifecycle of issued certificates for managed devices. The SaaS-based portal is a single pane of glass through which administrators can revoke certificates when devices are wiped, deleted, or removed from Intune. As depicted in the figure below, the Microsoft Intune-generated certificates can be used for certificate-based authentication use cases, viz Wi-Fi access points, VPN servers, business applications, and Microsoft 365 applications. Needless to say, certificate-based authentication improves the overall security posture of the environment compared to password-based authentication methods.
There are two deployment scenarios: Cloud PKI Root CA and Bring Your Own Certificate Authority (BYOCA). In the Root CA deployment, the administrator must deliver a bag of certificates or trust chains to your devices and a bag of certificates (SSL/TLS certs) that your on-premises root CA issued. You can deliver these certificates through an out-of-band delivery method for your on-premises servers or devices. In BYOCA, your root CA is on-premises; you can deliver a bag of certificates through Intune.
With Microsoft Cloud PKI, administrators can manage organization certificates where they manage endpoints; bringing your PKI infrastructure to the cloud could save time and money. Eventually, it removes all the complexities and delivers more efficient services by adhering to industry best practices and standards.
Microsoft Cloud PKI is available as part of the Microsoft Intune Suite. This solution will be available as an add-on to your subscription for existing customers. Cloud PKI within Microsoft Intune Suite allows to go cloud native in terms of certificate deployment.
Our upcoming blog will dive into the new capabilities of Intune Suite and how organizations can reap the benefits of the solution that reduces complexity in IT operations operational expenditure while elevating the security posture of the IT environment. Meanwhile, we would want to hear your opinion; stay tuned.
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