The Everything Feed - All Packet Pushers Pods PP086: Using Let’s Encrypt and the ACME Protocol for Domain Validation Certificates
Nov 11, 2025
In this engaging discussion, Ed Harmoush, a former AWS and Rackspace network engineer and creator of Practical Networking, dives into the world of Let's Encrypt and the ACME protocol. He shares insights on the importance of automating domain validation certificates and the positive impact of Let's Encrypt on HTTPS adoption. Ed explains the roles of ACME clients and servers and how they streamline the certificate issuance process. He also emphasizes why reducing certificate validity periods is crucial in today's security landscape, making automation an essential part of network management.
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Let’s Encrypt Sparked Automated HTTPS
- Let's Encrypt pioneered fully automated, free domain-validation certificates starting around 2015.
- Their automation work drove wide HTTPS adoption across the web.
Automate Certificates With ACME
- Use ACME to automate certificate issuance and renewals to avoid manual tracking and human error.
- Choose ACME-compatible tools (Certbot, acme.sh, Win-ACME) to integrate into your servers or scripts.
Why Let’s Encrypt Sticks To DV
- Let's Encrypt issues only Domain Validation (DV) certificates because DV is automatable.
- OV and EV require organizational checks and are less suitable for fully automated workflows.