Public Key Infrastructure (PKI) has quietly become one of the most fragile and expensive layers of enterprise security. As certificate volumes surge and lifespans shrink, legacy PKI models struggle to keep up, driving outages, compliance gaps, and operational strain. This independent global study reveals how widespread the problem is and why PKI modernization is becoming unavoidable.
Based on insights from nearly 2,000 global IT and security practitioners, this Ponemon Institute research quantifies the business impact of PKI complexity and exposes the gap between perceived readiness and reality—helping leaders understand both the scale of risk and the path forward.
Key Findings at a Glance
- Widespread PKI risk: 56% of organizations report unplanned outages caused by certificate expiration or configuration errors
- Legacy PKI at scale: Organizations manage an average of 114,000+ certificates, yet fewer than half rate their PKI as highly effective
- Manual burden: 53% still rely on manual processes to assess PKI security, increasing error and response time
- Security fallout: 60% experienced weak cryptographic exploits and 58% report third-party CA compromise
- High-performer advantage: Organizations with strong PKI confidence see fewer outages, better visibility, and lower operational burden
Download the full report to benchmark your PKI posture and identify the modernization priorities separating high performers from the rest.
Who Should Read This Report
- CISOs, CIOs, and security leaders accountable for risk, resilience, and compliance
- PKI, IAM, and machine identity owners managing certificate growth
- Security architects and infrastructure leaders supporting hybrid, cloud, and DevOps environments
- Governance, risk, and compliance teams preparing for audits, regulations, and shrinking certificate lifespans
