How to Set Up Certificate Authority in Windows Server | CSR Signing + Web Enrollment Tutorial (ADCS)

In this complete tutorial, you'll learn how to set up a Certificate Authority (CA) using Active Directory Certificate Services (AD CS) on Windows Server. We’ll walk you through every step — from installing the CA role to configuring web enrollment, creating a CSR (Certificate Signing Request), and signing that CSR using your own internal CA.

This guide is ideal for system administrators, ethical hackers, cybersecurity students, IT professionals, and anyone looking to build a secure internal PKI (Public Key Infrastructure) to manage digital certificates within their organization.

You’ll discover:

🔐 What is Active Directory Certificate Services (AD CS)
🔧 How to install the CA and Web Enrollment role
🌐 How to access the CA Web Interface
📄 How to create and submit a CSR
✅ How to sign and install SSL certificates using your internal CA
💡 Real-world use cases and best practices for using internal CAs

Setting up your own CA allows you to issue trusted certificates without relying on external Certificate Authorities, making it perfect for internal applications, development servers, VPN authentication, test labs, and more.

Whether you're preparing for a job interview, building a home lab, or strengthening your enterprise security infrastructure — this video will give you practical knowledge that you can use right away.

💬 Have questions or want to suggest a future video topic? Drop a comment below — I personally reply to each one!

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