AWS Certificate Manager (ACM) is a fully managed service provided by Amazon Web Services (AWS) that simplifies the process of provisioning, managing, and deploying SSL/TLS certificates for use with AWS services and external resources. ACM automates certificate management tasks such as certificate issuance, renewal, and deployment, allowing you to secure your websites, applications, and APIs with HTTPS encryption easily.
Here are some key features and capabilities of AWS Certificate Manager:
- SSL/TLS Certificate Management:
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- ACM allows you to request, import, and manage SSL/TLS certificates for your domain names and web applications. It supports both public certificates, which are used for securing websites accessible over the internet, and private certificates, which are used for securing internal services and resources within a Virtual Private Cloud (VPC).
- Automated Certificate Issuance and Renewal:
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- ACM automatically handles the process of requesting, validating, and issuing SSL/TLS certificates for your domain names. It uses domain validation (DV) to verify ownership of the domain before issuing certificates, and it automatically renews certificates before they expire, ensuring continuous protection and compliance with industry standards.
- Integration with AWS Services:
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- ACM integrates seamlessly with other AWS services, such as Amazon CloudFront, Elastic Load Balancing (ELB), Amazon API Gateway, AWS Elastic Beanstalk, and AWS CloudFormation. You can easily associate ACM certificates with these services to enable HTTPS encryption and secure communication with your applications and APIs.
- Centralized Management and Visibility:
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- ACM provides a centralized console and API for managing and monitoring your SSL/TLS certificates across multiple AWS accounts and regions. It allows you to view detailed information about your certificates, including their status, expiration dates, and associated resources, and it provides visibility into certificate usage and renewal activity.
- Security and Compliance:
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- ACM helps you maintain strong security and compliance posture by enforcing best practices for SSL/TLS certificate management and encryption. It uses industry-standard encryption algorithms and key lengths to protect sensitive data in transit, and it complies with various security and privacy standards, including PCI DSS, HIPAA, and GDPR.
- Cost-effective Pricing Model:
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- ACM is offered at no additional cost for managing SSL/TLS certificates provisioned through the service. You only pay for the AWS resources that use ACM certificates, such as CloudFront distributions, ELB load balancers, and API Gateway endpoints, with no upfront fees or long-term commitments.
Overall, AWS Certificate Manager simplifies the process of securing your applications and resources with SSL/TLS encryption by automating certificate management tasks and providing seamless integration with AWS services. It helps you protect sensitive data, build trust with your users, and maintain compliance with industry standards and regulations.