Many SSL certificates issued from vendors will require re-issuance by certain deadlines to ensure continuity for your members and customers. This only effects SSLs that were purchased after June 1, 2016 and before December 1, 2017.  The SSL vendors that are impacted by this distrust are Symantec, Geotrust, Rapid SSL, and Thawte [1].

On or around September 13, 2018, a Chrome 70 beta release will distrust all Symantec SSL certificates issued between June 1, 2016 and December 1, 2017. Google plans to release the Chrome public version mid-October 2018.

If your SSL certificate was issued after June 1, 2016 and before December 1, 2017 and expires on, or after September 13, 2018, replace it before September 13, 2018. It is strongly advised to reissue certificates within these dates as soon as possible to avoid risk or delays. These certificates can be replaced at no cost from your vendor. Contact the vendor that you purchased your SSL through, and they should be able to help you free of cost.

Don’t wait until September 2018 to replace your affected certificates. Domains and organizations need to be validated before the vendor can issue certificates. And don’t forget you’ll need time to install the new certificate so your website avoids Google Chrome security warnings.

If you let the deadline pass, anyone traveling to your website will be denied access and will see an error prompting them that the site is no longer safe or that the connection is not private and to continue at their own risk. They will see this if they are using a Chrome or Firefox browser when going to your website, there will be an ‘X’ in red through the https:// of the URL link.

Was Your SSL Purchased Between June 1, 2016 and December 1, 2017? It Will Be Distrusted Soon!

For certificates that do require replacement (purchased between June 1, 2016 and December 1, 2017), please submit for a free replacement ahead of the distrust dates mentioned above. You can contact the vendor who issued the SSL[2]. At E-Tech if we manage your SSL, we’ll take care of handling the procedure of getting a new SSL reissued.

Feel free to Contact Us for more information.