diff --git a/lemur/certificates/verify.py b/lemur/certificates/verify.py
index 1e0febec..432c487c 100644
--- a/lemur/certificates/verify.py
+++ b/lemur/certificates/verify.py
@@ -6,14 +6,28 @@
 .. moduleauthor:: Kevin Glisson <kglisson@netflix.com>
 """
 import os
-import re
-import hashlib
 import requests
 import subprocess
 from OpenSSL import crypto
+from cryptography import x509
+from cryptography.hazmat.backends import default_backend
 
 from flask import current_app
 
+from contextlib import contextmanager
+from tempfile import NamedTemporaryFile
+
+
+@contextmanager
+def mktempfile():
+    with NamedTemporaryFile(delete=False) as f:
+        fi = f
+
+    try:
+        yield fi
+    finally:
+        os.unlink(fi.name)
+
 
 def ocsp_verify(cert_path, issuer_chain_path):
     """
@@ -53,27 +67,18 @@ def crl_verify(cert_path):
     :return: True if certificate is valid, False otherwise
     :raise Exception: If certificate does not have CRL
     """
-    s = "(http(s)?\://[a-zA-Z0-9\-\.]+\.[a-zA-Z]{2,3}/\S*?$)"
-    regex = re.compile(s, re.MULTILINE)
+    with open(cert_path, 'rt') as c:
+        cert = x509.load_pem_x509_certificate(c.read(), default_backend())
 
-    x509 = crypto.load_certificate(crypto.FILETYPE_PEM, open(cert_path, 'rt').read())
-    for x in range(x509.get_extension_count()):
-        ext = x509.get_extension(x)
-        if ext.get_short_name() == 'crlDistributionPoints':
-            r = regex.search(ext.get_data())
-            points = r.groups()
-            break
-    else:
-        raise Exception("Certificate does not have a CRL distribution point")
-
-    for point in points:
-        if point:
-            response = requests.get(point)
-            crl = crypto.load_crl(crypto.FILETYPE_ASN1, response.content)
-            revoked = crl.get_revoked()
-            for r in revoked:
-                if x509.get_serial_number() == r.get_serial():
-                    return
+    distribution_points = cert.extensions.get_extension_for_oid(x509.OID_CRL_DISTRIBUTION_POINTS).value
+    for p in distribution_points:
+        point = p.full_name[0].value
+        response = requests.get(point)
+        crl = crypto.load_crl(crypto.FILETYPE_ASN1, response.content)  # TODO this should be switched to cryptography when support exists
+        revoked = crl.get_revoked()
+        for r in revoked:
+            if cert.serial == r.get_serial():
+                return
     return True
 
 
@@ -99,22 +104,6 @@ def verify(cert_path, issuer_chain_path):
         raise Exception("Failed to verify")
 
 
-def make_tmp_file(string):
-    """
-    Creates a temporary file for a given string
-
-    :param string:
-    :return: Full file path to created file
-    """
-    m = hashlib.md5()
-    m.update(string)
-    hexdigest = m.hexdigest()
-    path = os.path.join(os.path.dirname(os.path.abspath(__file__)), hexdigest)
-    with open(path, 'w') as f:
-        f.write(string)
-    return path
-
-
 def verify_string(cert_string, issuer_string):
     """
     Verify a certificate given only it's string value
@@ -123,13 +112,9 @@ def verify_string(cert_string, issuer_string):
     :param issuer_string:
     :return: True if valid, False otherwise
     """
-    cert_path = make_tmp_file(cert_string)
-    issuer_path = make_tmp_file(issuer_string)
-    status = verify(cert_path, issuer_path)
-    remove_tmp_file(cert_path)
-    remove_tmp_file(issuer_path)
+    with mktempfile() as cert_tmp:
+        cert_tmp.write(cert_string)
+        with mktempfile() as issuer_tmp:
+            issuer_tmp.write(issuer_string)
+            status = verify(cert_tmp.path, issuer_tmp.path)
     return status
-
-
-def remove_tmp_file(file_path):
-    os.remove(file_path)