In this episode of Tech Talks Daily, I sat down with Ashley Stevenson, VP of Product and Solution Marketing at DigiCert, to explore the shifting landscape of digital trust. We are living in a time where certificate-related outages still disrupt critical systems, identity management is becoming more complex, and the arrival of quantum computing is no longer a distant concern. Ashley brought clarity to these issues with a practical look at how DigiCert is helping organizations manage trust at scale.

Our conversation began with the foundational role DNS and PKI play in digital infrastructure. While most users never think about them, every secure connection begins with DNS resolving a domain and PKI establishing trust. DigiCert has combined these layers in a single platform, DigiCert1, designed to automate and simplify how trust is managed across networks, users, and connected devices.

We explored the increasing importance of certificate lifecycle management. With certificate lifespans moving from 398 days to just 47 by 2029, and domain validations required every 10 days, automation is no longer a convenience. It is a necessity. DigiCert1 addresses this through centralized inventory, policy enforcement, proactive notifications, and full automation from issuance to installation.

Ashley also shared insights on the convergence of PKI and identity and access management. From IoT to human users, digital identities are multiplying and evolving. PKI is playing a larger role in enabling passwordless authentication and supporting verifiable credentials, especially as organizations move toward privacy-enhancing and standards-based models.

Looking ahead, we discussed quantum readiness and crypto agility. DigiCert is already helping customers evaluate which systems are most vulnerable and preparing them to adopt quantum-safe algorithms when needed. Whether the concern is policy change, an unexpected breach, or emerging tech, the ability to adapt quickly is key.

How do you build a strategy for trust that adapts to this pace of change? This episode offers an inside look at how DigiCert is answering that question.