January 25, 2021
CertCentral Services API: Improved Domain emails endpoint
To make it easier to find the DNS TXT email addresses that receive validation emails from DigiCert for email-based domain control validation (DCV), we added a new response parameter to the Domain emails endpoint: dns_txt_emails.
The dns_txt_emails parameter returns a list of email addresses found in the DNS TXT record for the domain. These are the email addresses we find in the DNS TXT record on the _validation-contactemail subdomain of the domain being validated.
Example response with new parameter:
To learn more about the newly supported email to DNS TXT contact DCV method:
For information about validating the domains on DV certificate orders:
For information about validating the domains on OV/EV certificate orders:
January 13, 2021
CertCentral: Email to DNS TXT contact DCV method
We are happy to announce that DigiCert now supports sending an email to a DNS TXT contact for email-based domain control validation (DCV). This means you can add email addresses to the DNS TXT record for your domain. DigiCert automatically searches the DNS TXT records and sends the DCV email to those addresses. An email recipient needs to follow the instructions in the email to demonstrate control over the domain.
Note: Previously, DigiCert only sent DCV emails to WHOIS-based and constructed email addresses.
Industry changes
Contact information is becoming increasingly inaccessible in WHOIS records due to privacy policies and other constraints. With the passing of Ballot SC13, the Certificate Authority/Browser (CA/B) forum added Email to DNS TXT contact to the list of supported DCV methods.
DNS TXT record email contacts
To use email to Email to DNS TXT contact DCV method, you must place the DNS TXT record on the _validation-contactemail subdomain of the domain you want to validate. DigiCert automatically searches WHOIS and DNS TXT records and sends the DCV email to the addresses found in those records.
_validation-contactemail.example.com | Default | validatedomain@digicerttest.com
The RDATA value of this text record must be a valid email address. See section B.2.1 DNS TXT Record Email Contact in the Appendix of the baseline requirements.
For more information about Ballot SC13, the CA/Browser forum, and the email to DNS TXT contact DCV method:
October 22, 2020
CertCentral Services API: Documentation updates
We added a new request parameter to the CertCentral Services API documentation for DV certificate orders: use_auth_key. In accounts with an existing AuthKey, this parameter allows you to choose whether to check your DNS records for an AuthKey request token when you place a DV certificate order.
By default, if an AuthKey exists for your account, you must add an AuthKey request token to your DNS records before ordering a DV certificate. AuthKey request tokens enable immediate certificate issuance, decreasing the time you spend on certificate lifecycle management. However, there may be times you need to verify control over domains using email validation or a DigiCert generated token. In these cases, the use_auth_key parameter allows you to disable the check for an AuthKey request token at the order level, so you can use another method to prove control over the domain. For more information about domain control validation (DCV), see Domain control validation (DCV) methods.
To disable the AuthKey verification method for a DV certificate order, include the use_auth_key parameter in the JSON payload of the request. For example:
The following endpoints support the use_auth_key parameter:
- Order Multi-year Plan (for DV SSL certificates)
- Order GeoTrust DV SSL
- Order DV SSL
For information about using an AuthKey for immediate DV certificate issuance, see DV certificate immediate issuance.
Note: The use_auth_key parameter is ignored in requests for Encryption Everywhere DV certificates. All requests for Encryption Everywhere DV certificates require an AuthKey request token for DCV. Additionally, OV and EV SSL products do not support the use_auth_key request parameter.
June 3, 2020
CertCentral: Automatic DCV checks – DCV polling
We are happy to announce we've improved the domain control validation (DCV) process and added automatic checks for DNS TXT, DNS CNAME, and HTTP practical demonstration (FileAuth) DCV methods.
This means, once you've placed the fileauth.txt file on your domain or added the random value to your DNS TXT or DNS CNAME records, you don't need to worry about signing in to CertCentral to run the check yourself. We will run the DCV check automatically. Although, you can still run a manual check, when needed.
DCV polling cadence
After submitting your public SSL/TLS certificate order, submitting a domain for prevalidation, or changing the DCV method for a domain, DCV polling begins immediately and runs for one week.
- Interval 1—Every minute for the first 15 minutes
- Interval 2—Every five minutes for an hour
- Interval 3—Every fifteen minutes for four hours
- Interval 4—Every hour for a day
- Interval 5—Every four hours for a week*
*After Interval 5, we stop checking. If you have not placed the fileauth.txt file on your domain or added the random value to your DNS TXT or DNS CNAME records by the end of the first week, you will need to run the check yourself.
For more information about the supported DCV methods: