As the number of distributed energy resources (DERs) and connected assets continues to grow, utilities and energy providers face an increasingly complex digital landscape. The massive surge in mobile applications, IoT devices, and energy management systems has led to millions of communication points in these networks. Each of these communication points—whether for sending updates, monitoring performance, or transmitting personal account information—presents a potential entry point for cyberattacks and data breaches. In a recent Ponemon study, 73% of the participating security professionals said mismanaged digital certificates caused unplanned downtime and outages.
The creation of trusted energy ecosystems has never been more vital. Organizations must adapt to safeguard their networks as they become more distributed, with diverse types of devices and data flowing across their infrastructure. This complexity, while enabling unprecedented innovation and growth, also requires a proactive approach to secure device identity and data integrity.
The critical role of secure device identity for DERs
As organizations deploy DERs on a larger scale, ensuring the secure identity of each device becomes critical. Without reliable device authentication, utilities and energy providers risk unauthorized access to critical systems, potentially leading to disruptions in energy delivery, breaches of sensitive information, and compliance failures.
To mitigate these risks, secure device identity is indispensable. By verifying that each device in the network is legitimate and its communications are secure, organizations can establish trust across their entire ecosystem. This is where Public Key Infrastructure (PKI) comes into play. PKI provides the cryptographic framework necessary to authenticate devices and encrypt communications, enabling secure data exchanges and maintaining the integrity of DER networks. When implemented correctly, PKI supports the secure deployment, operation, and lifecycle management of devices, ensuring that communication flows are protected from unauthorized access and manipulation.
The backbone of secure device identity
The foundation of secure device identity is a robust PKI system. Trusted PKI services offer an established way to create, manage, and maintain digital certificates that authenticate device identities and secure communications. These services build a framework for safe data exchange and enable scalable, flexible, and resilient network architectures that grow alongside an organization’s digital assets.
A trusted PKI service is not just a technical necessity; it is a strategic asset for utilities and energy providers aiming to manage the complexities of DER deployment effectively. Managed PKI solutions, provided by experienced service providers, go beyond basic security. They support organizations with the expertise, scalability, and resilience needed to build flexible and reliable network architectures that grow alongside their digital assets. For organizations aiming to deploy PKI for complex environments, recognizing these challenges and considering managed PKI services may be essential to achieving long-term security and reliability.
In contrast, organizations that choose to implement homegrown or in-house PKI solutions often face unique challenges. While in-house PKI may offer some control over certificate management, it also requires significant resources, specialist expertise, and constant maintenance to ensure it remains effective. The deployment mistakes that follow are especially common with homegrown PKI systems, where limited resources or oversight can compromise the entire DER ecosystem. It’s crucial for organizations to be aware of these common pitfalls to avoid compromising their network’s security.
Top five PKI deployment pitfalls
1. Lack of planning and tracking certificates
A well-structured implementation plan is essential for any PKI deployment. Organizations that take a fragmented or “mix-and-match” approach to their PKI system often introduce security vulnerabilities, create inefficiencies, and face higher costs over time. Without a clear plan for deploying and managing certificates, teams are forced into a reactive mode, addressing issues as they arise instead of implementing a proactive, scalable solution from the start. Furthermore, failure to keep track of issued certificates is a common challenge.
Over time, organizations may lose track of how many certificates they have issued, where they are located, and when they expire. This lack of visibility can lead to failed audits, misuse of keys, and security breaches. For example, hackers recently used stolen digital certificates from NVIDIA to sign malware, allowing the malicious software to bypass security defenses by appearing legitimate. This breach underscores how unprotected or mismanaged certificates can directly expose organizations to significant risks, including malware infiltration, operational disruptions, and potential damage to reputation. Such incidents highlight the need for rigorous tracking and management in PKI systems to prevent misuse of digital certificates and secure sensitive data effectively.
2. Root certificate authority (CA) security
In any PKI deployments, all trust stems from the certificate authority (CA). It issues the root certificate that underpins the validity of the security keys used to verify and authenticate identities.. If the security of the CA is compromised, it can jeopardize the entire network. Organizations must establish stringent guidelines for issuing and revoking certificates to maintain trust in the CA and to prevent unauthorized certificates from being issued.
Regular audits of the CA are necessary to verify compliance with the Certification Practice Statement (CPS). Unfortunately, many organizations neglect this, leading to vulnerabilities. The DigiNotar breach is a cautionary tale where attackers compromised the CA, resulting in the issuance of fraudulent certificates for major websites, including those of the CIA and Microsoft. Organizations must take proactive measures to audit and secure their CAs to avoid similar risks.
3. Insufficient internal resources
Managing an in-house PKI system requires dedicated resources, including specialized skills, time, and budget. One of the most frequent mistakes organizations make is underestimating the resources needed. Without sufficient internal expertise, organizations may struggle to maintain their PKI systems effectively, leading to unpatched software, outdated revocation lists, and insufficient policy enforcement. The lack of resources also means that organizations may not respond swiftly to incidents, such as outages or security breaches, when they arise. This not only increases the potential for disruption but also heightens the risk of long-term damage to the organization’s reputation and financial standing.
4. Neglecting the entire certificate lifecycle
Deploying a PKI system is only the first step; managing the lifecycle of each certificate is equally important. Failure to plan for the renewal, revocation, and archival of certificates can cause major disruptions. For instance, expired certificates can lead to widespread service outages and regulatory non-compliance, while poor handling of revocation processes can leave compromised devices operational, posing ongoing risks. Effective lifecycle management should also include key archival and retrieval systems to ensure that even in the event of an incident, critical information remains accessible and secure. Organizations that overlook this aspect of PKI management often face operational challenges and incur significant costs.
5. Inadequate key protection
Protecting security keys is a critical component of any PKI system, particularly for DERs and software applications. Keys stored in hardware security modules (HSMs) must be safeguarded against both external threats and insider risks. In addition to securing HSMs, organizations must implement multi-custody protocols and conduct regular employee security checks to prevent internal misuse.
Hackers often use advanced techniques to detect and steal keys while they are in use or transit. With compromised keys, attackers can decrypt private data or impersonate legitimate devices, gaining unauthorized access. This is particularly problematic when updating older devices that may lack secure update mechanisms. Implementing additional software-based cryptographic protections ensures that keys are never exposed in the clear, providing an added layer of security.
The benefits of a managed PKI service
To address these challenges, many organizations turn to managed PKI services such as Intertrust iPKI. Managed services provide a comprehensive solution that mitigates the risks associated with in-house PKI management:
Assist with certificate design including format, attributes, and other parameters
Intertrust’s managed PKI service provides essential support for certificate design, ensuring that the certificates created are secure, adaptable, and compatible across diverse systems and platforms. Their team collaborates with organizations to build a structured PKI implementation plan that covers the following aspects:
- Interoperability. Intertrust ensures that certificates are compatible with various systems and applications, supporting multiple formats like X.509 and PKCS#12. This adaptability allows for smooth integration across different devices and applications, eliminating compatibility issues.
- Attribute selection. To enhance privacy, security, and usability, Intertrust helps organizations decide which attributes to include in certificates, such as email addresses or organizational units. This balance is critical, as including relevant attributes enables efficient certificate identification without compromising user privacy.
- Certificate extensions. Intertrust guides organizations in configuring appropriate certificate extensions, such as key usage, extended key usage, and subject alternative names (SANs). This customization aligns certificates with specific use cases, enhancing security and operational functionality.
Additionally, the inclusion of Security Association Markup Language (SAML) for edge authorization, SASE (Secure Access Service Edge) integration, and quantum-safe algorithms prepares certificates for future-proof security, ensuring protection against emerging cyber threats.
Assist with creating policies and ensuring compliance
Intertrust’s PKI service also provides valuable assistance with policy creation and regulatory compliance, ensuring a solid foundation of security practices and adherence to industry standards:
- Certificate Policies (CP) and certification practice statements (CPS). Intertrust helps draft comprehensive CP and CPS documents that define PKI policies, procedures, and security practices. These documents are essential for clear, structured PKI management, offering a detailed framework for consistent, secure certificate handling and lifecycle management.
- Regulatory compliance. Intertrust’s managed PKI service ensures that all PKI implementations align with relevant regulations, including GDPR, eIDAS, and other industry-specific requirements. This commitment to compliance enables organizations to operate confidently, knowing their data protection practices meet stringent regulatory standards.
- WebTrust certification. For over 14 years, Intertrust has maintained WebTrust certification, demonstrating a commitment to security, integrity, and accountability. Annual audits further affirm compliance, providing organizations with an added layer of trust and reassurance in the quality of Intertrust’s PKI services.
Specialized expertise and continuous support
Intertrust’s iPKI service offers specialized expertise, ensuring that organizations don’t need to build or maintain specialist skills in-house for deploying and managing secure PKI systems. This expertise covers every aspect of PKI management, from the initial deployment to ongoing maintenance, guaranteeing that security protocols remain up to date with the latest cryptographic techniques and regulatory standards.
With expert teams constantly monitoring, auditing, and updating the PKI systems, organizations can rely on Intertrust to address evolving security threats and compliance needs without dedicating internal resources. This support includes:
- Scalability and flexibility. As organizations expand their DER (Distributed Energy Resources) networks, iPKI scales effortlessly. This scalability enables organizations to grow their PKI systems in line with business needs, without the risk of security gaps or operational inefficiencies. Intertrust ensures that even as the number of connected devices increases, the security of the network remains robust and fully adaptable to new demands.
- Flexible security architecture. Intertrust’s PKI services are designed to adapt to the changing requirements of modern infrastructures, offering flexible solutions that integrate smoothly with both current and future applications. This flexibility ensures that as the organization’s needs evolve, the PKI system can seamlessly accommodate new devices, applications, and security protocols without requiring extensive system overhauls.
Provide processes for managing keys securely
Intertrust offers end-to-end solutions for managing the lifecycle of cryptographic keys, ensuring that sensitive keys are generated, stored, and rotated securely throughout their entire lifecycle. These processes include:
- Secure key generation. Intertrust assists with generating cryptographic keys in highly secure environments, often using Hardware Security Modules (HSMs) or other secure methods. This process ensures that the keys are created in compliance with industry standards and best practices, minimizing the risk of vulnerabilities during the key generation phase.
- Secure key storage. Protecting private keys from unauthorized access is critical. Intertrust uses strong encryption techniques and secure storage solutions to safeguard cryptographic keys. This ensures that sensitive keys remain protected and can only be accessed by authorized users or systems.
- Key rotation and certificate revocation. Managing the lifecycle of keys and certificates is essential to maintaining security over time. Intertrust provides systems and policies for key rotation to ensure that old keys are regularly replaced, and certificate revocation mechanisms to handle the expiration or compromise of certificates. This ensures that all keys in the PKI system are valid and secure.
- CRL management. To handle revoked certificates efficiently, Intertrust helps organizations maintain and distribute Certificate Revocation Lists (CRLs). This ensures that all users are aware of revoked certificates, and that these certificates can no longer be trusted.
- Online certificate status protocol (OCSP). Intertrust supports the use of OCSP responders for real-time verification of certificate status. This allows organizations to instantly check if a certificate is still valid or has been revoked, improving overall security.
Conclusion
As utilities and energy providers continue their digital transformation journey, securing device identity through trusted PKI services is essential. By avoiding common deployment pitfalls and leveraging managed PKI services like Intertrust iPKI, organizations can build secure, scalable, and resilient networks. Protect your DER assets and ensure compliance by partnering with a trusted PKI service. Contact us today to discover how to secure your energy ecosystem for the future. Learn more about the capabilities of Intertrust iPKI here.