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Active Directory Certificate Services

Also known as: AD CS

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Technology explained

What is Active Directory Certificate Services?

Active Directory Certificate Services is Microsoft's Windows Server role for operating an enterprise public key infrastructure and issuing digital certificates.

AD CS combines certification authorities, certificate templates, enrolment services, revocation data and Active Directory permissions. Its flexibility supports device, user, web, VPN and smart-card certificates, but insecure templates or enrolment permissions can create direct privilege-escalation paths.

Primary purpose

Issue and govern trusted certificates for enterprise identities, devices and services.

Typical environments
Windows ServerCorporate Networks
Typical use cases
  • Internal public key infrastructure (PKI)
  • Issuing device certificates
  • Securing internal web traffic
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