An expired SSL certificate can bring your website to a halt, damage your reputation, and cause security warnings that drive customers away. Yet, certificate expiration is one of the most common causes of website issues.
SSL certificates typically last 90 days (for Let's Encrypt) or 1-2 years (for paid certificates). Without proper monitoring, it's easy to forget when they're expiring.
The consequences of an expired certificate:
• Browsers show security warnings to visitors
• Customers lose trust and may leave
• Search engines may penalize your site
• API integrations can break
• Compliance violations for regulated industries
Best practices for SSL certificate monitoring:
1. Monitor certificate expiration dates
Set alerts for certificates expiring within 30 days. This gives you plenty of time to renew.
2. Check certificate validity
Monitor that certificates are actually valid and trusted, not just that they exist.
3. Monitor certificate chains
Ensure the entire certificate chain is valid, not just the end certificate.
4. Automate renewals
Use automated renewal tools like Certbot for Let's Encrypt certificates.
5. Monitor multiple domains
If you manage multiple domains, ensure you're monitoring certificates for all of them.
DownCheck AI automatically monitors SSL certificate expiration and validity, sending you alerts well before expiration. Never let an expired certificate catch you off guard again.
Protect your website's security and reputation with proactive SSL monitoring. Start your free trial today.