API tokens and Service Accounts

API Tokens and Service Accounts in CERTInext enable secure, non-interactive access to the platform for automation, integrations, and system-to-system communication. This capability is designed for environments where certificate lifecycle operations must be performed programmatically without relying on individual user credentials.

Service accounts represent non-human identities created specifically for automated workflows such as CI/CD pipelines, DevOps tooling, provisioning systems, and external integrations.

How Service Accounts Work

A service account is created within CERTInext with a defined role and permission scope. API tokens generated for the service account inherit these permissions and determine what actions the automation is allowed to perform.

Typical use cases include:

• Automated certificate issuance and renewal

• Integration with deployment and configuration management tools

• Certificate provisioning through scripts or pipelines

• Scheduled or event-driven lifecycle operations

Service accounts operate independently of human users, ensuring automation continues uninterrupted even when personnel change.

API Token Management

API tokens are used to authenticate API requests initiated by service accounts.

CERTInext allows administrators to:

• Generate multiple API tokens per service account

• Scope tokens to specific permissions and operations

• Set expiration or rotation policies

• Revoke tokens immediately if compromise is suspected

Each API request made using a token is logged with the associated service account identity, providing full traceability.

Security and Audit Controls

To maintain strong security posture:

• API tokens never expose user passwords

• Tokens can be rotated without impacting user access

• All API activity is recorded in audit logs

• Permissions follow the principle of least privilege

This approach ensures automation remains secure, controlled, and auditable.