Close
  • Latest News
  • Big Data and Analytics
  • Cloud
  • Networking
  • Cybersecurity
  • Applications
  • IT Management
  • Storage
  • Sponsored
  • Mobile
  • Small Business
  • Development
  • Database
  • Servers
  • Android
  • Apple
  • Innovation
  • Blogs
  • PC Hardware
  • Reviews
  • Search Engines
  • Virtualization
Read Down
Sign in
Close
Welcome!Log into your account
Forgot your password?
Read Down
Password recovery
Recover your password
Close
Search
Logo
Logo
  • Latest News
  • Big Data and Analytics
  • Cloud
  • Networking
  • Cybersecurity
  • Applications
  • IT Management
  • Storage
  • Sponsored
  • Mobile
  • Small Business
  • Development
  • Database
  • Servers
  • Android
  • Apple
  • Innovation
  • Blogs
  • PC Hardware
  • Reviews
  • Search Engines
  • Virtualization
More
    Home Cybersecurity
    • Cybersecurity

    Google Establishes Independent Root Certificate Authority

    By
    Jaikumar Vijayan
    -
    January 30, 2017
    Share
    Facebook
    Twitter
    Linkedin
      Google Web Certificates 2

      Google has established an independent Root Certificate Authority so it can implement HTTPS across all of its services in a more efficient and expedient way.

      Google’s new Trust Services entity will manage and deploy digital certificates for all Google and Alphabet services, the company said Friday in a blog.

      The new unit will complement Google Internet Authority G2 (GIAG2), the third-party subordinate Certificate Authority that Google has been relying on so far for its Secure Sockets Layer/Transport Layer Security (SSL/TSL) certificate needs.

      Because it can take a relatively long time to embed Root Certificates into products and their associated versions, Google also has purchased GlobalSign R2 and R4, two currently operating Root Certificate Authorities.

      “These Root Certificates will enable us to begin independent certificate issuance sooner rather than later,” said Ryan Hurst, a member of Google’s security and privacy engineering group in the blog post. For the time being, at least, Google will keep the GIAG2 subordinate certificate authority in operation, he added.

      Websites and services use digital certificates to authenticate their identities to browsers. Anyone can generate these certificates, but because these certificates are essential for online trust they have to be signed by a trusted certificate authority in order to be recognized as bonafide.

      Root certificate authorities sit on top of the public key certificate trust chain and are responsible for validating the authenticity of digital certificates issued by subordinate authorities.

      Google Trust Services will operate a total of six Root Certificates; GTS Root 1 to GTS Root 4 and the Global Sign GS R2 and GS R4 roots that Google just acquired. Again, with a view to speeding up the process of implementing a Root Certificate Authority, Google also has secured the option of cross signing its certificates using Global Sign’s R3 Root and also a Root from GeoTrust. Most of Google’s Root Certificates are valid for between 15 and 20 years except for two, which are scheduled to expire within the next five years.

      Developers that are building products that will connect to a Google website or service should include Google’s Roots in their list of trusted roots, Hurst said. Because Google may operate subordinate Certificate Authorities under third-party roots, developers should consider including a wide set of trustworthy roots, he added.

      Google has been focused for some time on implementing the HTTPS protocol across all its services in an effort to secure them better against common attacks. Websites that use HTTPS encrypt all communications between the browser and server, making the communications much harder to intercept and to compromise.

      The subordinate GIAG2 certificate authority that Google has relied on for so long has played a critical role in enabling the shift to HTTPS.

      By establishing an independent Root Certificate Authority, Google will no longer have to rely on intermediaries to issue SSL and TSL certificates to authenticate its sites and services. The company will have complete control over the entire certificate issuance, management and revocation process and be in a better position to spot illegal or improperly issued certificates for any of its domains.

      Jaikumar Vijayan
      Vijayan is an award-winning independent journalist and tech content creation specialist covering data security and privacy, business intelligence, big data and data analytics.

      MOST POPULAR ARTICLES

      Cybersecurity

      Visa’s Michael Jabbara on Cybersecurity and Digital...

      James Maguire - May 17, 2022 0
      I spoke with Michael Jabbara, VP and Global Head of Fraud Services at Visa, about the cybersecurity technology used to ensure the safe transfer...
      Read more
      Big Data and Analytics

      Alteryx’s Suresh Vittal on the Democratization of...

      James Maguire - May 31, 2022 0
      I spoke with Suresh Vittal, Chief Product Officer at Alteryx, about the industry mega-shift toward making data analytics tools accessible to a company’s complete...
      Read more
      Big Data and Analytics

      GoodData CEO Roman Stanek on Business Intelligence...

      James Maguire - May 4, 2022 0
      I spoke with Roman Stanek, CEO of GoodData, about business intelligence, data as a service, and the frustration that many executives have with data...
      Read more
      Applications

      Cisco’s Thimaya Subaiya on Customer Experience in...

      James Maguire - May 10, 2022 0
      I spoke with Thimaya Subaiya, SVP and GM of Global Customer Experience at Cisco, about the factors that create good customer experience – and...
      Read more
      Cloud

      Yotascale CEO Asim Razzaq on Controlling Multicloud...

      James Maguire - May 5, 2022 0
      Asim Razzaq, CEO of Yotascale, provides guidance on understanding—and containing—the complex cost structure of multicloud computing. Among the topics we covered:  As you survey the...
      Read more
      Logo

      eWeek has the latest technology news and analysis, buying guides, and product reviews for IT professionals and technology buyers. The site’s focus is on innovative solutions and covering in-depth technical content. eWeek stays on the cutting edge of technology news and IT trends through interviews and expert analysis. Gain insight from top innovators and thought leaders in the fields of IT, business, enterprise software, startups, and more.

      Facebook
      Linkedin
      RSS
      Twitter
      Youtube

      Advertisers

      Advertise with TechnologyAdvice on eWeek and our other IT-focused platforms.

      Advertise with Us

      Menu

      • About eWeek
      • Subscribe to our Newsletter
      • Latest News

      Our Brands

      • Privacy Policy
      • Terms
      • About
      • Contact
      • Advertise
      • Sitemap
      • California – Do Not Sell My Information

      Property of TechnologyAdvice.
      © 2021 TechnologyAdvice. All Rights Reserved

      Advertiser Disclosure: Some of the products that appear on this site are from companies from which TechnologyAdvice receives compensation. This compensation may impact how and where products appear on this site including, for example, the order in which they appear. TechnologyAdvice does not include all companies or all types of products available in the marketplace.

      ×