What is a potential risk of certificate expiration?

The identification of loss of access to secure systems as a potential risk of certificate expiration is accurate because it highlights a critical aspect of public key infrastructure and digital certificates. When a digital certificate expires, any system that relies on that certificate for establishing a secure connection (such as HTTPS sites, secure email, or virtual private networks) may no longer authenticate the identity of the server or user. This can lead to users being unable to access those systems, effectively interrupting operations that depend on secure communications.

Additionally, expired certificates cannot be used for encrypting data or verifying integrity, leading to potential vulnerabilities in data security. Organizations that do not monitor and renew their certificates may face significant operational disruptions, loss of sensitive information, and the risk of being unable to establish secure communications altogether. This scenario underscores the necessity of diligent certificate management to avoid service outages and maintain the integrity of secure systems.