As you seek to move your business operations online, ensuring the security of digital systems and networks becomes paramount. Cloud-based storage of sensitive data requires solid systems to prevent breaches.

A data breach can be fatal and disruptive to your business functions. It can compromise confidential customer information and dent your business' reputation. If you want your customers, business associates, and government authorities to trust you, you need to take precautions against cybercrime.

One powerful solution is adopting a public key infrastructure (PKI) as a service. With PKI as a service (PKIaaS), you'll get all the benefits of a PKI system through a cloud-based model. It is highly scalable, cost-effective, and easy to deploy and manage.

What is PKI as a Service?

PKIaaS refers to outsourcing your PKI infrastructure's deployment and day-to-day operation to a third-party managed service provider. With PKI as a service, the service provider hosts all PKI components in their secure data centers or cloud environments. This includes the root certificate authority (CA), intermediate CAs, and any hardware security modules (HSMs) used to protect cryptographic keys.

The service provider is responsible for critical PKI functions like certificate issuance, renewal, and revocation. They perform tasks like key generation, certificate signing, and distribution on your behalf according to agreed service level agreements (SLAs). This frees your IT team from the burdens of operating and maintaining specialized PKI equipment and software.

PKIaaS providers offer fully customizable and scalable solutions. You can leverage an existing PKI hierarchy or deploy a new one tailored to your security needs. Options range from basic SSL/TLS certificate services to high-assurance PKI with identity verification and hardware key protection. Deployments can span both on-premises and cloud environments for a hybrid approach.

Benefits of Adopting PKI as a Service (PKIaaS)

A PKI as a service model is better for your organization than an on-premise setup. Due to its cloud-based nature, PKIaaS may be deployed in days. This helps you implement critical security features quickly, especially for deadline-driven projects.

PKIaaS scales well. Scalability helps you change certificate demands as your digital infrastructure and user base grow or shrink. Usage-based PKIaaS running costs are more predictable than significant upfront hardware purchases.

PKIaaS greatly improves security with automated certificate lifecycle management. A web portal or API issues renews and revokes certificates, eliminating human mistakes. This keeps certificates valid and trusted throughout their lifespans.

Simple deployment and centralized administration of PKIaaS allow IT teams to focus on strategic priorities rather than infrastructure maintenance. PKIaaS solutions enable multi-factor login and regulated resource access across systems with increased user and device authentication.

Using simplified digital signature methods, legal e-signatures can securely execute and sign contracts, forms, and other documents. Built-in redundancy of globally scattered cloud data centers ensures uptime and accessibility during local outages.

Auditable logs and policy-based controls in PKIaaS management consoles simplify HIPAA compliance. Its future-proof, cloud-based architecture lets digital trust infrastructure expand with the company.

Enhancing Data Security through PKI Encryption

PKI certificates make stored or transferred data indecipherable without the private key, preventing data breaches. PKI-enabled encryption protects data "at rest" on servers, workstations, mobile devices, and network communications "in transit."

Without authorized decryption keys, intercepted encrypted data appears as random characters and cannot be read or comprehended. PKI guarantees data authenticity and integrity. Digital signatures examine the sender's public key to verify a message was signed and not altered during transit.

The revocation of compromised certificates immediately prevents unauthorized access to signed data. X.509 PKI encryption and digital signatures protect against phishing, man-in-the-middle attacks, data modification, and theft.

Zero-Trust Environments and PKI Authentication

A zero-trust network security approach considers all risks of all users, inside and outside the company. It validates access attempts and grants only essential privileges using multi-factor authentication.

Strong authentication of users, servers, apps, workstations, and IoT/OT devices with PKI certificates enables zero trust. Using cryptographic keys instead of passwords, internal PKI-issued digital certificates verify logins.

Integrating a PKI with directory services tightly maps certificates to systems, data, and services each person or device can access, improving access restrictions. The outcome is a zero-trust environment where only confirmed, trusted identities have access, and the least privileged principles limit their access.

Cloud-Based PKI Security Measures 

Properly migrating PKI infrastructure to the cloud does not reduce security. Leading PKIaaS providers store root CAs and issue sub-CAs in HSMs that fulfill FIPS PUB 140-2 Level 3, the maximum tamper-resistance and cryptographic key protection. Physically protected HSMs never lose keys.

Geographic redundancy with global data centers enables ongoing availability during local disruptions. Disaster recovery procedures ensure alternative sites can quickly issue and revoke certificates if the primary site fails.

Cloud PKI systems are regularly audited and certified under WebTrust and ETSI standards to assure the highest security. These rules can safeguard cloud PKI better than on-premise implementations.

Maximizing IT Investment with Cloud PKI 

Migrating systems or deploying new certificates in the cloud uses existing hardware, software licenses, and staff experience instead of developing new PKI infrastructure.

An expert-managed PKI provider handles maintenance, updates, patching, and 24/7 monitoring while IT teams maintain control and visibility. Compared to standard PKI, cost reductions are significant and increase with avoided expenses.

Forensic investigations, notification, credit monitoring, legal fees, and fines for certificate-related data breaches are high. They also destroy reputation and lose future business incalculably. These risks are eliminated by outsourcing PKI to a cloud provider at a predictable cost.

Developing a Data Breach Battle Plan with PKI

Data breaches can be avoided with proactive tactics. Strong identity management, access controls, encryption, and monitoring underpin digital defense in a PKIaaS. Regular external vulnerability evaluations find vulnerabilities before attackers do.

User verification goes beyond passwords with multi-factor authentication. System access is restricted to trusted identities by automated certificate management. Add PKI encryption to your cyber security strategy to protect stored and transferred data.

If a breach occurs despite best attempts, revocation of compromised certificates and keys prevents access immediately. PKI audit records help forensic investigators understand attack vectors.

Response strategies practice containment and communication to limit damage quickly. PKI-based data security allows firms to plan rather than react to attacks.

Final Thoughts

As digital transformation accelerates across industries, ensuring trusted identities and secure data exchange becomes imperative. Yet traditional PKI deployments burden IT teams with complex installations and ongoing maintenance. PKI as a service eliminates these obstacles through a fully managed, cloud-based model that is simple to use, highly scalable, and very cost-effective. Automated operations uphold the strongest security standards, while centralized administration streamlines control.

By adopting PKIaaS, you gain the full benefits of public key infrastructure without the costs and complexities of owning and maintaining on-premise hardware and software. As a foundational technology for authentication, encryption, and digital signatures across expanding digital ecosystems, PKI as a service unlocks the power of public key cryptography to protect your business operations and empower growth in a secure, compliant manner.