Certificate Authority (CA)

Before issuing any SSL/TLS or other CA Certificate, eMudhra must cryptographically verify that the requester legitimately controls the domain in question. This process—known as Domain Control Validation (DCV)—is a foundational pillar of zero‑trust compliance: it ensures that no certificate is ever issued without proof of domain ownership, preventing unauthorized actors from minting rogue certificates.

1. Multi‑Vector Validation Methods

eMudhra offers a suite of standardized DCV methods, letting organizations choose the workflow that best fits their infrastructure and security policies:

2. Automated, API‑First Validation Workflows

1. CSR Submission & DCV Selection:
   • You submit a Certificate Signing Request (CSR) via the eMudhra portal or REST API, specifying your preferred DCV method.
2. Challenge Issuance:
   • eMudhra’s CA dynamically generates a one‑time token or file and returns instructions through the API.
3. Challenge Response Monitoring:
   • The CA polls your DNS or HTTP endpoint, or awaits email confirmation, continuously checking until proof of control is detected.
4. Certificate Issuance:
   • Upon successful validation, the CA issues your CA Certificate, embedding your domain in the Subject and SAN fields.

This fully automated sequence eliminates manual hand‑offs, accelerates issuance, and embeds DCV into your zero‑trust CI/CD pipelines.

3. Continuous Domain Monitoring & Post‑Issuance Checks

Zero‑trust demands not only initial validation but ongoing assurance. eMudhra’s CA platform extends DCV into post‑issuance monitoring:

• Certificate Transparency (CT) Logs: All public SSL/TLS CA Certificates are submitted to CT logs. You receive alerts if any unexpected certificates for your domain appear.
• DNS & HTTP Health Checks: Periodic probes confirm that your validation records or files remain intact, warning you of expired or tampered DCV tokens.
• Revocation & Re‑Validation: If a domain’s WHOIS contact changes or DNS nameservers switch, the CA can automatically re‑challenge control before renewing certificates—ensuring zero‑trust continuity.

4. Enhanced OV/EV Domain Validation for Zero‑Trust Assurance

For higher‑assurance Organization‑Validated (OV) or Extended‑Validation (EV) CA Certificates, eMudhra layers additional checks on top of DCV:

1. Business Identity Verification: Cross‑referencing corporate registries and official documents.
2. Administrative Contact Authentication: Live email or phone confirmation with domain administrators.
3. Manual Audit Trails: Every OV/EV validation step is logged with timestamps, operator IDs, and document receipts for compliance reporting.

5. Governance, Auditability & Compliance

• Tamper‑Proof Audit Logs: Every DCV challenge issuance and response is recorded in immutable logs, suitable for internal audits and external regulators.
• Policy‑Driven DCV Enforcement: Administrators define mandatory DCV methods and time‑to‑validate thresholds in certificate templates—blocking issuance if controls aren’t met.
• Reporting & Evidence Packs: For each issued CA Certificate, you can export a DCV evidence package (challenge details, validation timestamps, log entries) to demonstrate zero‑trust compliance during security reviews.

Business Benefits of eMudhra’s Zero‑Trust DCV

• Eliminate Unauthorized Issuance: No certificate is issued without cryptographic proof of domain control.
• Accelerate DevOps: API‑driven DCV integrates seamlessly into CI/CD, reducing lead times from days to minutes.
• Maintain Continuous Trust: Ongoing domain health checks and CT monitoring protect against hijacking or mis‑issuance.
• Simplify Compliance: Detailed audit artifacts and template‑enforced DCV policies satisfy stringent regulatory frameworks (e.g., PCI‑DSS, SOC 2, GDPR).

By rigorously validating domain control through multiple challenge methods, integrating DCV into automated workflows, and continuously monitoring post‑issuance, eMudhra ensures your CA Certificates uphold zero‑trust principles—delivering bulletproof, auditable digital trust for your enterprise.