In the ever-evolving landscape of internet security, few changes have the potential to reshape foundational practices like Google Chrome’s root program policy update. By mid-2026, Chrome will enforce a significant shift in how SSL/TLS certificates are used, specifically, it will no longer trust public certificates that support TLS client authentication. If your organization relies on public certificate authorities (CAs) for authenticating users, devices, or applications, this change demands immediate attention.
Let’s unpack what this means, why it’s happening, and how you can prepare.
The Heart of the Change: Chrome Root Program Policy v1.6
At the core of this transition is Chrome Root Program Policy v1.6, which mandates that certificate hierarchies included in Chrome’s trust store must be dedicated solely to TLS server authentication by June 2026 .
This means public CAs will no longer be allowed to issue certificates containing both the id-kp-serverAuth and id-kp-clientAuth Extended Key Usages (EKUs). These EKUs define what a certificate can be used for, either server or client authentication, but not both.
Starting June 15, 2026, Chrome will distrust any public SSL/TLS certificates that include the clientAuth EKU .
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Certificates issued before this date will remain valid until expiration, but no new ones will be accepted.
Why This Matters?
TLS client authentication is a critical mechanism used to verify the identity of clients, be it users, devices, or applications, when they connect to a server. It’s distinct from server authentication, which is what most people associate with HTTPS.
Client authentication is commonly used in:
- VPN access: Verifying employee devices connecting remotely.
- Wi-Fi onboarding: Authenticating devices without static passwords.
- Mutual TLS (mTLS): Securing API communication in microservices.
- Single Sign-On (SSO): Embedding certificates in endpoint devices.
- DevOps environments: Identifying workloads and containers.
Many organizations have been using public CAs for these purposes, often unknowingly, because it’s convenient and cost-effective. But with Chrome’s new policy, this approach will no longer be viable.
Why is this Happening?
The move is part of a broader industry trend toward dedicated PKI hierarchies. Multipurpose certificates, those used for both server and client authentication, introduce complexity and potential security risks. By separating these use cases, browsers like Chrome aim to:
- Improve certificate management.
- Strengthen trust in public PKI.
- Reduce the risk of misuse or misconfiguration.
Public CAs were never designed for internal authentication workflows. They’re subject to external audits, compliance mandates, and browser policies. This makes them ill-suited for the flexibility and control required in client authentication scenarios .
The Solution: Transition to Private CAs
If your organization uses public certificates for client authentication, the path forward is clear: migrate to a private certificate authority (CA).
Benefits of private CAs include:
- Customizable certificate profiles.
- Full control over issuance and revocation.
- No dependency on browser trust stores.
- Support for protocols like ACME, EST, and SCEP.
This shift empowers organizations to design authentication workflows tailored to their needs, without being constrained by public CA limitations.
Don’t Forget Certificate Lifecycle Management (CLM)
Migrating to a private CA is just the first step. To truly future proof your infrastructure, you’ll need robust Certificate Lifecycle Management (CLM).
CLM platforms help you:
- Discover and inventory all certificates.
- Automate issuance, renewal, and revocation.
- Enforce policies on key length, EKUs, and expiration.
- Avoid outages due to expired or misconfigured certs.
As certificate lifespans shrink (some are now as short as 47 days), manual tracking becomes unsustainable. CLM ensures visibility and control across your entire environment. Encryption Consulting’s CertSecure Manager provides simplified certificate lifecycle management with automation, security, and seamless integration across your IT ecosystem.
What You Should Do Next
Here’s a practical roadmap to prepare for Chrome’s 2026 deadline:
- Audit Your Certificate Usage: Identify where TLS client authentication is used. Are you relying on public ACME workflows like Let’s Encrypt? Which devices and services are affected?
- Assess Your Risk: Determine which certificates will be impacted and when. Plan to replace them before they expire or become untrusted.
- Deploy a Private CA: Choose a solution that fits your environment, cloud-based, on-prem, or hybrid. Ensure it supports automation and integration with your existing tools.
- Implement CLM: Use a CLM platform to manage certificate lifecycles, enforce policies, and maintain visibility.
- Educate Your Teams: Ensure that IT, DevOps, and security teams understand the implications and are aligned on the migration strategy.
How could Encryption Consulting help?
Encryption Consulting’s CertSecure Manager is a vendor-neutral certificate lifecycle management solution that centralizes discovery, automation, enrolment, policy enforcement, and integrations. It prevents outages with automated renewals, enhances compliance, streamlines IT operations, and unifies management of public and private CAs through a single, automated, scalable platform.
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Additionally, Encryption Consulting’s PKI-as-a-Service helps your organization simplify PKI deployment with end-to-end certificate issuance, automated lifecycle management, policy enforcement, and seamless compliance with industry security standards.
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Conclusion
Chrome’s root program update isn’t just a technical tweak; it marks a fundamental shift in how digital identity and trust are managed across the internet. While it may disrupt existing authentication workflows, it also provides organizations with a timely opportunity to modernize their PKI architecture and build a more secure, scalable, and resilient foundation.
If your organization is still using public certificates for client authentication, now is the time to act. The deadlines are fixed, the enforcement is strict, and chrome’s move toward dedicated server-auth-only public PKI makes private CAs the only sustainable path forward.
At the same time, the rising volume of certificates, shrinking certificate lifetimes, and the increasing complexity of distributed environments make Certificate Lifecycle Management (CLM) essential, not optional. A robust CLM solution prevents outages, automates renewals, enforces compliance, and gives organizations full visibility and control over their cryptographic assets.
