System and method for configuring a valid duration period for a digital certificate

A method for configuring a valid duration period for a digital certificate, the method comprising:

• establishing a communication link between a client device and a server via a web browser;
• selecting a certificate term using a client component installed on the client device;
• associating a positive numeric value with the certificate term on the server, the server being configured to convert the positive numeric value into a duration counter according to a local policy defined on the server separately from the certificate term;
• receiving from the server on the client device via the web browser a signed certificate request generated by a certificate server in response to a certificate request from the server including the converted duration counter;
• and
• generating the digital certificate based upon the received signed certificate request, the valid duration period of the generated digital certificate corresponding to the positive numeric value converted from the certificate term.

A system for configuring a valid duration period for a digital certificate, the system comprising:

• a plurality of certificate terms, each certificate term having a positive numeric value assigned therein, the positive numeric value being representative of a quantity of time;
• a server for storing the plurality of certificate terms, the server being configured to convert the positive numeric value associated with each certificate term into a duration counter according to a local policy defined on the server separately from the certificate terms, the server also being configured to generate a certificate request including the duration counter;
• a certificate server for signing the certificate request including the duration counter;
• and
• a client device for requesting one certificate term from the plurality of certificate terms, the client device being configured to generate the digital certificate having the valid duration period corresponding to the positive numeric value for the requested certificate term upon receiving the signed certificate request.