Upcoming SSL Certificate Changes Could Disrupt 40% of Enterprises, Warns CSC

CSC

WILMINGTON, DE — A looming industry-wide shift in digital certificate validation could leave up to 40% of enterprises vulnerable to website outages and service interruptions, according to new research released by CSC. The risk centers on the deprecation of WHOIS-based email for domain control validation (DCV).

In a review of more than 100,000 SSL certificate records, CSC found that a significant portion of organizations still rely on WHOIS email for DCV—a method that will soon be rendered obsolete following a 2024 decision by the CA/Browser Forum. After the July deadline, certificate authorities will no longer accept WHOIS-based validation, requiring companies to switch to DNS- or file-based alternatives to maintain service continuity.

Further complicating the picture, CSC reports that 17% of companies surveyed were unaware of which DCV method they currently use—highlighting a substantial gap in IT visibility and preparedness.

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“For years, WHOIS-based email was seen as the easiest, non-technical DCV method,” said Mark Flegg, CSC’s senior director of Technology, Security Products and Services. “Organizations that have not switched to alternative DCV methods risk serious consequences—from website outages to critical service failures.”

Flegg emphasized that this change is only the beginning of broader industry shifts that will soon demand more agile and automated certificate management systems. Starting in 2026, certificate life spans will begin to shrink from the current 367 days to just 47 days by 2029. Alongside this, the period that organizations can re-use DCV for issuing new certificates will shorten from 367 days to just 10 days over the same period.

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This acceleration means enterprises could face as many as eight certificate renewals annually, with some requiring new validation each time.

To help organizations navigate these changes, CSC has introduced a new Domain Control Validation as a Service (DCVaaS) offering. Provided at no additional cost to clients, DCVaaS automates validation workflows, slashing certificate renewal times by up to 99% and relieving the burden on IT teams.

As the industry heads toward more frequent renewals and increased reliance on automation, CSC advises businesses to audit their current SSL and DCV processes immediately. Failure to adapt, the company warns, could lead to critical disruptions in web operations and data security.

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