Frequently Asked Questions
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Certificate Manager?
Certificate Manager is a management tool for monitoring, securing and requesting SSL certificates for services such as web servers, mail servers and database servers.
It was developed by professionals who work with certificates daily. Certificate Manager is open source, meaning anyone can download, install and use it.
It is built in PHP using the SLIM 4 framework and Bootstrap 5 for the interface.
With Certificate Manager you can:
- Monitor installed certificates and expiration dates
- Check encryption security (ciphers and protocols)
- Request new SSL certificates using reusable templates
- Store certificates securely in a tenant-based vault
What is an SSL certificate management tool?
An SSL certificate management tool is software that helps organizations obtain, install and manage SSL/TLS certificates. It ensures secure communication and compliance with industry standards.
Why is SSL certificate management important?
Expired or misconfigured certificates can cause:
- Security vulnerabilities
- Data breaches
- Browser warnings
- Loss of customer trust
Proper management ensures compliance and uninterrupted secure connections.
What features should I look for?
- Automated issuance and renewal
- Expiration monitoring and alerts
- Centralized dashboard
- Integration with existing systems
- Support for wildcard and SAN certificates
- Reporting and compliance tracking
How does it enhance security?
Automation reduces human error.
Many tools include vulnerability scanning and compliance checks to proactively detect security risks.
Can it support multiple domains?
Yes. Most modern tools support multiple domains, wildcard certificates and multi-domain (SAN) certificates.
Can it help with compliance?
Yes. It provides audit trails, reporting and ensures certificates are valid and properly configured, helping meet regulatory requirements.
What happens if an SSL certificate expires?
Users will see browser warnings, encrypted connections fail, and trust is damaged.
An SSL management tool prevents this through alerts and automated renewals.
Is a dedicated tool necessary?
Manual management is possible, but for organizations with multiple certificates it is strongly recommended to use a dedicated tool to reduce errors and centralize management.
Can I migrate existing certificates?
Yes. Most tools allow importing existing certificates for centralized monitoring and management.
Private Keys
What is a private key?
A private key is a secret cryptographic key used to authorize secure communication and digital transactions. It must remain confidential.
If compromised, attackers can impersonate your services or access sensitive data.
How should I store my private key securely?
Options include:
- Hardware wallets (most secure)
- Secure digital vaults
- Encrypted offline storage
Always use strong passwords and multi-factor authentication.
What happens if I lose my private key?
You will lose access to your secured service or data.
Private keys cannot be recovered. Always maintain secure backups.
Can I share my private key?
No. Never share your private key.
If shared, others can impersonate your service or access sensitive information.
How do private and public keys relate?
A private key is mathematically linked to a public key.
- The public key can be shared freely.
- The private key must remain secret.
Only the private key holder can authorize secure transactions.