How to Renew Your SSL Certificate: A KnownHost Guide for Website Owners

SSL certificate renewal is the process of replacing an expiring digital certificate with a new one to maintain uninterrupted secure connections between your website and its visitors. For KnownHost customers, this process can range from fully automated to manually managed, depending on your certificate type and hosting environment.

While the term ‘renewal’ is commonly used in the SSL/TLS industry, it’s important to understand that this process does not extend the life of an existing certificate. Instead, it involves obtaining a new certificate to replace the expiring one. This industry-standard terminology (‘renewal’) is used for simplicity and because the process often reuses existing business information from the expiring certificate, but cryptographically, it represents a fresh start with a new validity period, and in some cases, a new set of keys.

Why SSL Certificates Expire

SSL certificates expire for several important security reasons:

• Security Enhancements: Shorter validity periods ensure certificates use the latest encryption standards and security practices. 
• Key Rotation: Regular renewal generates new cryptographic key pairs, reducing the risk of key compromise over time. 
• Domain Verification: Expiration ensures that certificate authorities periodically verify that you still own or control the website. 
• Damage Limitation: If a certificate falls into the wrong hands, the expiration date limits how long it can be used maliciously. 

Since September 2020, the maximum validity period for publicly trusted SSL certificates is 398 days (approximately 13 months), with some certificates (like those from Let’s Encrypt) having even shorter 90-day validity periods.

KnownHost’s SSL Certificate Options

KnownHost offers a variety of SSL certificates from reputable Certificate Authorities like Comodo (now Sectigo), GeoTrust, and RapidSSL. Understanding your options is crucial for making informed decisions about renewal.

SSL Certificate Types Available Through KnownHost:

The validation level you choose affects both the issuance time and the renewal process:

• Domain Validation (DV): Renewal typically takes only minutes as it only validates domain ownership.
• Organization Validation (OV): Renewal takes 2-4 days as it requires verifying business documentation.
• Extended Validation (EV): Renewal can take 5-10 days as it involves thorough verification of legal business status.

Beyond its paid options, KnownHost also includes free SSL for all hosted domains through our AutoSSL feature. This system uses Let’s Encrypt to automatically provide and manage free Domain Validation (DV) certificates, making it an effortless and cost-free way to secure your sites.

How to Manually Renew SSL with KnownHosts

If you need to manually renew your SSL certificate with KnownHost, follow these steps:

1. Generate a New Certificate Signing Request (CSR):
   • Log into your cPanel or WHM dashboard.
   • Navigate to Security ? SSL/TLS.
   • Under Certificate Signing Requests (CSR), generate a new CSR for your domain. 
2. Submit the CSR for Validation:
   • For certificates purchased through KnownHost, submit the new CSR via your KnownHost control panel.
   • For third-party certificates, submit the CSR to your certificate provider (e.g., Comodo, GeoTrust).
   • Complete any required validation (e.g., email verification for DV, business documentation for OV/EV).
3. Install the Issued Certificate:
   • Once the certificate is issued by the Certificate Authority (CA), install it via:
     • cPanel/WHM: Use the SSL/TLS Manager ? Install an SSL Certificate option to upload the certificate file (.crt) and private key..
     • DirectAdmin: Paste the certificate and private key into the SSL Certificates section.
4. Verify Installation:
   • Use online SSL checkers or browser tools to confirm the certificate is active and correctly installed.
   • Check for expiration dates and trust chain completeness.

Note: It is best to initiate this process at least 30 days before your SSL expires.

The CSR Generation Process

Creating a proper CSR is essential for successful renewal. Your CSR should include:

• Common Name (CN): The fully qualified domain name (e.g., www.yourdomain.com). Modern best practice and the CA/Browser Forum baseline requirements dictate using the Subject Alternative Name (SAN) extension to define all the domain names and subdomains the certificate should cover for multi-domain certificates.
• Organization Name: Your business’s legally registered name (for OV and EV certificates)
• Organizational Unit: The department within your organization responsible for the certificate.
• Location Information: City, state/province, and country where your business is registered
• Key Size: At least 2048-bit encryption for security.

How to Troubleshoot Common SSL Renewal Issues

Even with a reliable host like KnownHost, you might encounter occasional renewal challenges:

AutoSSL Renewal Delays

If you encounter AutoSSL renewal delays, KnownHost support recommends switching your AutoSSL provider from cPanel (powered by Comodo) to the built-in Let’s Encrypt provider within the AutoSSL system until the issue is resolved. This does not require installing a separate third-party plugin or tool, as Let’s Encrypt is already an integrated option within WHM’s AutoSSL feature.

Validation Problems

For OV and EV certificates, ensure your business information is current with registration authorities. Discrepancies between your CSR information and official records can cause validation delays or failures.

Installation Issues

After receiving your renewed certificate, ensure it’s properly installed along with any necessary intermediate certificates to form a complete chain of trust. Incomplete chains can cause browser warnings despite having a valid certificate.

Expiration Warnings Despite Renewal

If you continue to receive expiration notices after renewal, clear your browser cache and check the certificate installation from multiple locations. Sometimes, caching mechanisms continue to show the old certificate until it fully propagates.

For complete peace of mind, remember that expert help is just a ticket or chat away. KnownHost provides 24/7 support from a U.S.-based team, ready to swiftly resolve any SSL renewal or installation issues you encounter.

Best Practices for SSL Management

Implementing these best practices will help ensure uninterrupted SSL protection for your KnownHost website:

• Renew Early: Initiate renewal at least 30 days before expiration to accommodate any potential delays, especially for OV and EV certificates that require manual verification.
• Monitor Expiration Dates: Use certificate monitoring tools or services to track expiration dates across all your domains. KnownHost provides expiration notices, but implementing your own monitoring adds an extra layer of protection.
• Implement Automation: Where possible, enable automatic renewal to prevent accidental expirations. KnownHost’s system can handle this for most certificate types.
• Maintain Proper Validation Information: Keep your domain registration and business information current to avoid validation delays during renewal.
• Use Appropriate Certificate Types: Select certificates that match your security needs. While DV certificates are quicker to issue, OV and EV certificates provide greater trust indicators for business websites.
• Implement HTTP Strict Transport Security (HSTS): This security policy mechanism protects websites against protocol downgrade attacks and cookie hijacking, complementing your SSL implementation.

Maintaining Continuous Protection

SSL certificate renewal is a critical aspect of website maintenance that directly impacts your site’s security, user trust, and search engine visibility. With KnownHost’s variety of certificate options and support resources, website owners have multiple paths to ensure continuous protection.

Remember that our support team is available to assist with renewal questions, certificate installation, and troubleshooting. Don’t hesitate to reach out to us if you encounter challenges or have questions about the best SSL approach for your specific website needs.