Telecom security depends on more than connecting calls. Providers must also establish trusted caller identity, protect cryptographic keys and maintain the certificates that support authentication across voice networks.
For organizations implementing STIR/SHAKEN, choosing the right Certificate Authority (CA) infrastructure can affect operational complexity, security responsibilities and integration flexibility. A traditional, self-managed environment offers direct control over infrastructure while a cloud-based or managed CA service can simplify certificate operations. The right choice depends on how much control a provider needs and which responsibilities it wants to manage internally.
Understanding Certificate Authority Infrastructure in Telecom
What does a Certificate Authority do?
Within the STIR/SHAKEN ecosystem, a Certificate Authority issues digital certificates to authorized service providers. These certificates associate a provider's identity with a public key used to verify signatures on authenticated calls.
The originating provider uses a corresponding private key to sign caller identity information. Receiving providers can validate the signature using the public key in the certificate and evaluate the authentication information.
The US Federal Communications Commission describes STIR/SHAKEN as combining call authentication and verification with a certificate governance process that helps maintain trust in caller ID information.
Why infrastructure choices matter
Certificate operations involve more than issuing a certificate once. Providers need reliable processes for enrollment, key management, certificate retrieval, renewal and revocation where required. They must also ensure that their implementation meets applicable governance and regulatory requirements.
For example, a regional voice provider adding new SIP infrastructure may need to integrate certificate operations with its existing authentication platform. Its infrastructure choice will influence how much of that integration and ongoing maintenance the internal team must handle.
Cloud-based and traditional models can both support STIR/SHAKEN. The main difference is how the services are deployed, operated and maintained.
Traditional Certificate Authority Infrastructure: Control and Responsibility
How a self-managed model works
With a traditional infrastructure model, an organization operates more of its certificate management environment using its own systems, personnel and security processes. Depending on the architecture, this may involve dedicated servers, internal key-management systems and custom integrations with telecom platforms.
The main advantage is direct control over system configuration, access policies and operational procedures. This can be important for providers with specialized security requirements or established internal infrastructure teams.
The trade-offs
Greater control also means greater responsibility. The organization must plan for system availability, security updates, monitoring, backups and operational continuity. It needs staff with the technical expertise to manage the environment and respond to incidents.
Imagine a telecom operator managing certificate operations across several internal systems. If certificate renewal depends on a manually maintained schedule, an overlooked deadline could disrupt authentication workflows. Automated monitoring can reduce that risk but must be designed, tested and maintained.
Traditional infrastructure is not inherently less secure than cloud infrastructure. Its security depends on architecture, implementation quality and operational discipline.
Cloud-Based Certificate Authority Services: Automation and Flexibility
How cloud-based services change operations
Cloud-based or managed CA services allow providers to access certificate operations through a service platform rather than operating every component themselves. Depending on the provider, this may include web-based certificate management, APIs, certificate hosting and automated workflows.
The potential benefit is reduced infrastructure management overhead. Instead of building every component internally, teams can integrate the required capabilities into their existing systems and focus more of their effort on network operations.
For example, a provider deploying a new voice service could use an API-driven workflow to request certificates as part of its provisioning process. Automation can reduce repetitive manual tasks and improve consistency across deployments.
What cloud-based does not mean
Cloud-based services do not automatically eliminate security or compliance responsibilities. Providers still need to understand how private keys are generated, stored and accessed, how credentials are protected and what happens if a service becomes unavailable.
They should also assess data handling, service continuity, access controls and dependency on the vendor. A managed service can reduce the amount of infrastructure a provider operates but it does not remove the need for appropriate oversight.
Cloud vs. Traditional CA Infrastructure: Key Differences
Compare the operational models
Neither model is universally better. The right choice depends on the provider's scale, security requirements and available engineering resources.
Traditional or self-managed infrastructure
Control: Greater direct control over system configuration and internal processes.
Maintenance: Internal teams manage infrastructure updates, monitoring and continuity.
Integration: Custom integration is possible but can require additional engineering.
Security: The provider is responsible for implementing and maintaining its security controls.
Scaling: Capacity and operational resources must be planned and maintained.
Cloud-based or managed CA services
Control: Control is shared across the provider's systems and the service vendor's platform.
Maintenance: The vendor operates the components included in its service offering.
Integration: Web portals and APIs can simplify certificate workflows.
Security: The provider must assess the vendor's security practices and understand its own responsibilities.
Scaling: Managed services can reduce the need to deploy and maintain additional internal infrastructure, subject to service capabilities and limits.
How to make the decision
Evaluate the total cost of ownership rather than comparing subscription prices with hardware costs alone. Include engineering time, maintenance, security controls, integration effort, service availability and incident response.
A smaller provider with limited infrastructure resources may benefit from a managed CA service. A larger operator with specialized internal security requirements may prefer greater control or a hybrid arrangement.
PeeringHub vs. TransNexus: Comparing Available Approaches
Telecom providers evaluating STIR/SHAKEN infrastructure should compare actual product capabilities rather than assume that every vendor follows the same cloud or traditional model.
PeeringHub: API-driven certificate operations
PeeringHub offers STIR/SHAKEN Certificate Authority services through a web portal and developer-focused APIs. Its documentation describes a workflow for generating a private key and requesting a certificate using the associated private-key identifier. The service also supports certificate-related operations through its platform. <Cite refs={["turn494377search3","turn494377search5","turn494377search7"]}/>
This approach can suit providers that want to integrate certificate generation into their existing telecom systems without building every certificate-related component themselves.
Explore the PeeringHub STI API documentation for its documented integration workflow.
TransNexus: CA services and a broader STIR/SHAKEN solution
TransNexus offers a STIR/SHAKEN Certificate Authority service with certificate issuance, repository hosting and API support. Its wider solution portfolio also includes call authentication, a secure key store, call verification and call treatment based on verification status and analytics. <Cite refs={["turn494377search2","turn494377search0"]}/>
This broader scope may be relevant to providers seeking authentication and verification capabilities alongside certificate services.
The comparison is not simply cloud versus traditional. Both companies offer managed services and software capabilities that providers should evaluate against their requirements. The practical differences lie in service scope, integration options, key-management arrangements and the amount of infrastructure the customer must operate.
Before choosing a solution, confirm certificate lifecycle capabilities, key custody, security controls, service availability, support arrangements and pricing.
Security, Compliance and Reliability: What Providers Must Evaluate
Protect private keys and certificate workflows
Private keys are central to STIR/SHAKEN because they enable digital signatures. If a key is exposed or misused, an attacker may be able to sign information using that key, subject to the certificate's validity and other controls.
Regardless of infrastructure model, providers should assess:
Key protection: How keys are generated, stored, accessed and protected from unauthorized use.
Access controls: Whether permissions are restricted to authorized users and services.
Certificate lifecycle management: How issuance, renewal, expiration and revocation are handled.
Monitoring: How teams identify failed operations, expiring certificates and unexpected activity.
Resilience: How service interruptions and recovery are managed.
Accountability: Which responsibilities remain with the telecom provider and which are handled by the vendor.
Understand the regulatory context
US rules require covered voice service providers to implement STIR/SHAKEN in their IP networks, subject to applicable exceptions. The regulatory framework also defines responsibilities for intermediate providers. <Cite refs={["turn494377search8","turn494377search13"]}/>
Selecting a CA service is therefore only one part of implementation. Providers must also ensure that their authorization, call authentication and verification processes meet the requirements applicable to their operations.
A useful evaluation method is to test certificate issuance and renewal workflows, validate call signatures across representative network paths and document recovery procedures before deploying changes in production.
Conclusion: Choose the CA Model That Fits Your Telecom Strategy
Cloud-based and traditional Certificate Authority infrastructure can both support secure STIR/SHAKEN operations. Traditional deployments provide direct control but require internal resources to maintain the environment. Managed CA services can simplify certificate operations and integration while introducing vendor dependencies that must be evaluated carefully.
For telecom providers, the strongest choice is the one that balances security, operational control, automation and long-term cost. Assess the entire certificate lifecycle rather than focusing only on how a certificate is issued.
Looking to simplify STIR/SHAKEN certificate management? Explore PeeringHub's Certificate Authority services and API-driven workflows to see how they can fit your telecom infrastructure.
Visit www.peeringhub.io to learn more.
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