Moving to the SHA-2 hashing algorithm

In this podcast recorded at RSA Conference 2014, Jay Schiavo, Director of Products and Markets at Entrust and a member of the CA Security Council, discusses why web server administrators will have to make plans to move from SSL and code signing certificates signed with the SHA-1 hashing algorithm to those signed with SHA-2.

This is the result of the new Microsoft Root Certificate Policy where Microsoft deprecates SHA-1.

Microsoft plans to review the deadlines in July 2015 to see wether the market is ready to move to SHA-2, but CAs will likely reset the signing algorithm from SHA-1 to SHA-2, provide warnings on existing SHA-1 signed certificates that expire after 2016, impose deadlines or date restrictions, so you will not have a SHA-1 certificate that is not supported by Windows in 2017, as well as provide advice to time-stamp during code signing.

The challenge that a lot of enterprises face is that they may be running applications that do not support SHA-2, so Schiavo offers advice on what you can do to prepare for the move.

Listen to the podcast here.


The CA Security Council (CASC) is comprised of leading global Certificate Authorities that are committed to the exploration and promotion of best practices that advance trusted SSL deployment and CA operations as well as the security of the internet in general.

While not a standards-setting organization, the CASC works collaboratively to improve understanding of critical policies and their potential impact on the internet infrastructure.