Maintaining a secure network that is easily accessible for users within an organization is more difficult than ever. As cybersecurity technologies improve to address current threats, malicious attackers continue to develop new strategies to circumvent procedures.
Many security professionals feel overwhelmed by the task of thwarting outside threats, so when a technology provides strong security and can be implemented efficiently, they must move quickly. One such technology that has stood the test of time is the use of digital certificates issued from an internal certificate authority.
Function of an Internal Certificate Authority
When an organization wants to utilize digital certificates for internal authentication, most will opt to distribute certificates from an internal certificate authority (CA). In a nutshell, an internal CA hosts digital certificates that can be distributed for use within an organization and are trusted internally. They are intrinsically more secure than a public CA because certificates are only distributed to specific people or devices. They can’t be obtained by users outside the organization and won’t be trusted for authentication with other certificate-based networks.
One of the most commonly used and most effective internal CAs comes from Windows. An internal Windows CA is populated with certificates issued from AD CS. An organization using Active Directory is able to utilize user information within the directory to tie certificates with a user’s identity. The process of configuring certificates for use with an internal Windows CA is seamless and provides a plethora of certificate use cases.
The Many Uses of Internal Windows Certificate Authority
Digital certificates distributed from a Windows CA can be used for an enormous range of functions. For the purpose of relevance, we’ll discuss a few of the most common use cases. Everyone from Fortune 500 companies to K12 schools would benefit from the simplicity and security that certificates provide when utilized for these functions.
Wi-Fi Authentication
When it comes to authenticating users for wireless network access, every authentication method falls short to EAP-TLS. It’s far and away the most secure method thanks to its use of certificates instead of credential-based authentication.
The process is incredibly easy for end users because they are automatically authenticated whenever they are in range of the wireless network. And because they can ditch passwords, there is no annoying password reset policy and no related IT support tickets.
VPN
Remote work has increased dramatically and it’s more important than ever to secure communications for users working away from the office. Due to a heavy reliance on end users to maintain strict network 
security, VPN is often where organizations are most vulnerable to outside attack.
Certificates can be used to securely authenticate users when connecting with VPN and subsequently protect any communications over the air. Authenticating with certificates ensures that no outside user is able to intercept or view communications between remote users and the secure network.
Web Applications
Similar to VPN and wireless authentication, certificates can be used to guarantee secure authentication to web applications. Users are able to present their certificates and gain access to relevant applications based on their policy settings. The rapid authentication of certificates can be used to implement an SSO (Single Sign-on) strategy throughout the organization. Instead of keeping track of a unique password for each application, all a user needs is one certificate.
Server Communication
Server certificates issued from the internal CA are used to secure communications with and between different servers. One of the easiest benefits a public facing organization can gain from server certificates is enabling HTTPS. HTTPS provides secure communication for visitors to your website. Additionally, Google search engine strongly prefers HTTPS protected websites over HTTP.
Smartcard Authentication
A relatively newer technology that has begun utilizing certificates are smartcards. Smartcards are a highly secure authentication method that involves a physical device. These are often used for sensitive materials that need to be protected against any internal or external threats.
If a smartcard has access to your internal Identity Access Management for informing who can be authenticated, it can be equipped with a certificate to streamline the authentication process and ensure only approved users have access.
Maximizing Internal CA Effectiveness with SecureW2
SecureW2 prides itself in being a one-stop-shop for everything you need to enable a certificate-based network. Our certificate infrastructure is able to integrate with any network without forklift upgrades, regardless of vendor.
Any type of authentication can be enabled (Wi-Fi, web apps, VPN, etc.) and easily managed in the Management Console. And network admins will benefit from the visibility benefits gained from SecureW2, such as viewing any authentication event and remotely addressing any connection issues that may arise.
The JoinNow onboarding software is extremely user-friendly and designed to be used by people of any technology literacy level. After completing the rapid application process, users are equipped with a certificate that will securely authenticate them for any set amount of time. Additionally, SecureW2 is able to provision managed devices with certificates with no end user interaction through the use of API gateways.
If certificates are in your organization’s future and you want to maximize efficiency for all users and maintain impenetrable security, an internal Windows CA operated through SecureW2 cannot be beat. Check out our pricing page to see if our certificate solutions can be the key to your organization’s security needs.
