Active Directory Certificate Services (AD CS) is a Microsoft product that performs public key infrastructure (PKI) functionality, supports personalities, and provides other security functionality in a Windows environment. It creates, approves and rejects public key endorsements for inward tasks of an association.
As per Microsoft, AD CS is a “Server Role that enables you to construct public key infrastructure (PKI) and give open key cryptography, computerized authentication, and advanced mark abilities for your association.”
Example:
"The IT administrator at my university thinks its a great idea to run their own certificate authority, and Active Directory Certificate Services makes it easy for them to handle everything from desktop authentication to file encryption."
