Let's Encrypt
Let's Encrypt is a Certificate Authority (CA). that provides free Transport Layer Security (TLS) certificates, making it easy for websites to enable HTTPS encryption and create a more secure Internet. Let's Encrypt is run by the nonprofit Internet Security Research Group (ISRG).[1]
History[edit | edit source]
During the summer of 2012, Josh Aas and Eric Rescorla, two engineers at Mozilla, started a project with the goal of increasing SSL/TLS deployment. They believed the best way to achieve this was to create a free, fully automated, and transparent Certificate Authority.
In May, 2013, Internet Security Research Group (ISRG) was incorporated.
In September, 2013, the team merged a similar project started by the Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF) and researchers from the University of Michigan into ISRG.
Let's Encrypt was announced publicly on November 18, 2014.[2]
A coalition of technology companies, including Mozilla, Cisco, Akamai, Automattic and IdenTrust, joined the EFF and the University of Michigan as sponsors.
The project's Limited Beta started on September 12, 2015,[3] and the first Certificate went live on September 15, 2015.[4] Public Beta started on December 3, 2015.[5]
On April 12, 2016, the project left Beta, renewing several sponsorships and gaining new sponsors:[6] Gemalto, HP Enterprise, Fastly, Duda and ReliableSite.net.[7]
By June, 2017, they had issued more than 100 Million certificates.[8] They issued their billionth certificate on February 27, 2020. In June 2017, approximately 58% of page loads used HTTPS globally. On February, 2020, 81% of page loads used HTTPS globally. [9]
Background[edit | edit source]
The EFF argued that a switch from HTTP to HTTPS was necessary on the grounds of security. Using HTTP websites would leave one open to problems such as account hijacking, identity theft, surveillance, malicious scripts and censorship targeting keywords on websites. HTTPs, while far from flawless, would be a major improvement in all these areas, and should therefore be universally adopted. With this idea, the Let's Encrypt Certificate Authority intended to facilitate more widespread adoption by automatically issuing and managing certificates for any website that needed them.[10]
References[edit | edit source]
- ↑ Let's Encrypt: Main Page Retrieved October 13, 2025
- ↑ Boom Swagger Boom: Let's Encrypt Retrieved October 13, 2025
- ↑ Let's Encrypt Blog: Public Beta - December 3, 2015 Retrieved October 13, 2025
- ↑ Threatpost: First Let’s Encrypt Free Certificate Goes Live Retrieved October 13, 2025
- ↑ Let's Encrypt Blog: Entering Public Beta Retrieved October 13, 2025
- ↑ The Linux Foundation: Let’s Encrypt Leaves Beta Retrieved October 13, 2025
- ↑ Softpedia: Let's Encrypt Launched Today, Currently Protects 3.8 Million Domains Retrieved October 13, 2025
- ↑ Let's Encrypt Blog: Milestone - 100 Million Certificates Issued Retrieved October 13, 2025
- ↑ Let's Encrypt Blog: Let's Encrypt Has Issued a Billion Certificates Retrieved October 13, 2025
- ↑ Let's Encrypt: A Certificate Authority to encrypt the entire web Retrieved December 15, 2014.
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