Millions of devices may lose access to the Internet today. forever

At first – a brief explanation. Contains all certificates required to support HTTPS on the network Specific end date. It is usually extended along with updates, which also increases the issuance of the certificate itself. The problem arises when support for a particular device or system stops, and on September 30, 2021, a certificate expires, more specifically IdenTrust DST Root CA X3.

It includes a number of older, but still used hardware and systems. They include, among others Windows XP SP2, Ubuntu 16.04 or Debian 8, but also macOS 10.12 and earlier, or iOS 10 or PS4 consoles with firmware less than 5.00. It’s about that too Countless Smart TVs and Internet of Things for yearsAnd, by the way, they may have the biggest problem.

selected by Android

Until 2024, it’s valid there Via certificate with current ISRG Root X1Which ensures full functionality of the devices even with older operating systems such as Ice Cream Sandwich or Jelly Bean.

But what if the certificate expires? If the system is open to interference, such as Windows, the required certificate can be installed manually or overridden by appropriate tags in OpenSSL. Closed platforms only have a signature on the server, and when it’s missing, expect a large influx of warnings and error messages. Some services and websites will completely refuse to work.

research: PlayStation 5 takes your mind away. See this for yourself

Let’s add that certificates issued by Let’s Encrypt, and we are talking about this group, are currently used by them About 30 percent of the world’s network resourcesIncluding streaming services, email providers, and financial institutions. All this will undoubtedly start to dread.

Image source: Unsplash (Eric Solheim)

Text source: Let’s Encrypt, ed. King