Who Issues Your SSL Certificate? Why a CAA Record is Crucial for Website Security

That little lock icon in your browser's address bar is a symbol of trust. It tells you that your connection is encrypted with an SSL certificate and is secure.

But have you ever considered this question: What if someone could trick a Certificate Authority (CA) into issuing a "fake" but valid SSL certificate for your domain that they control?

This isn't a hypothetical threat; it has happened in the past. To improve SSL certificate security and prevent this, a DNS security record called CAA (Certificate Authority Authorization) was created.

What is a CAA Record and Why is It So Important?

A CAA record acts as a "whitelist of authorized Certificate Authorities" for your domain.

Through a simple DNS record, it makes a public declaration: "Only the specific companies I list (e.g., Let's Encrypt, Google Trust Services) are permitted to issue SSL certificates for my domain."

By industry mandate, all reputable CAs must check a domain's CAA record before issuing a certificate. If they find they are not on this "whitelist," they must refuse. This simple step is fundamental to modern website security.

The dangers of not having a CAA record:

• Certificate Mis-issuance: An attacker could exploit a vulnerability in a less-reputable CA to obtain a valid SSL certificate for your domain.
• Risk of Man-in-the-Middle (MITM) Attacks: Armed with a valid certificate, an attacker could prevent man-in-the-middle attacks from being detected, intercepting traffic and stealing sensitive information without triggering browser warnings.
• Loss of Control: You are allowing any of the hundreds of CAs worldwide to vouch for your brand, which introduces unnecessary risk.

How to Add a CAA Record: A Step-by-Step Guide

The fix is straightforward and involves adding a few CAA records in your DNS provider's dashboard. Here's how to add a CAA record:

Step 1: Identify Your Current Certificate Authority (CA)

Visit your site, click the lock icon, and view the certificate details to find the "Issuer." Common issuers include Let's Encrypt or Google Trust Services.

Step 2: Add Three CAA Records

Let's assume your CA is Let's Encrypt (whose domain identifier is letsencrypt.org). This serves as a practical CAA record example:

1. Authorize non-wildcard certificates (issue):
   • Type: CAA, Name: @, Tag: issue, Value: letsencrypt.org
2. Authorize wildcard certificates (issuewild):
   • Type: CAA, Name: @, Tag: issuewild, Value: letsencrypt.org
3. Set up violation reporting (iodef):
   • Type: CAA, Name: @, Tag: iodef, Value: mailto:[email protected]

Tip: On platforms like Cloudflare, the issue tag may be labeled "Only allow specific hostnames," issuewild as "Only allow wildcards," and iodef as "Send violation reports."

How to Verify the Fix

After adding the records, you can use a CAA record checker like the SSL Labs Test (ssllabs.com/ssltest/) for a comprehensive check.

In the test report's "Configuration" section, look for "Certificate Authority Authorization (CAA)." If it says "Yes" and lists the rules you set, the configuration is successful.

Website Security Should Be a Platform's Standard Feature

CAA, DMARC, SPF, HSTS... the list of security acronyms needed to maintain a modern website keeps growing. For a creator focused on content, this is a distraction and a burden.

At Postion, we see website security as a fundamental responsibility of the platform. Every site created on Postion is automatically configured with strict CAA records and DMARC policies. We handle this complex, back-end DNS security work so you can have 100% confidence that your brand and your users are protected.

Want a platform that's as powerful as it is secure to host your content and grow your business? Explore Postion and experience the peace of mind and convenience built for creators.