The present invention advantageously provides a system and method for management of cryptographic keys and certificates for a plurality of vehicles. Each vehicle of the plurality of vehicles generates public/private key pairs, requests multiple time-distributed certificates, creates an encrypted identity, and surrenders expired certificates. An assigning authority receives the public/private key pairs, the request for multiple time-distributed certificates, the encrypted identity, and the expired certificates from said vehicle. The assigning authority authorizes the vehicle with an authorizing authority, validates the expired certificates, proves ownership, and distributes the requested time-distributed certificates to said vehicle. Validation can comprise checking expired certificates against misused, compromised and/or previously surrendered certificates. Time-distributed certificates can have lifetimes adjustable based on certificate misuse detection system algorithms, amount of malicious activity detected, and/or certificate authority capacity.