Google Drops Trust in China, Hungary Web Certificates

Google plans to revoke trust in digital certificates issued by Chunghwa Telecom of China and Hungary-based NetLock, citing “patterns of concerning behavior” by both certificate authorities. The decision will affect users of the Chrome web browser, which will no longer recognize certificates from these entities as valid. The move reflects growing scrutiny over the practices of certificate authorities, which play a critical role in securing online communications by verifying website identities.

The company did not elaborate on the specific behaviors that triggered the action but emphasized that the pattern of conduct observed undermined confidence in the security and reliability of the certificates issued. The decision is likely to impact websites and services that rely on Chunghwa and NetLock for TLS/SSL certification, potentially prompting them to seek alternative providers.

Google’s announcement underscores its commitment to maintaining high standards for trust and transparency in the digital certificate ecosystem that underpins secure internet traffic.