Trust anchor

Imagine you are playing hide and seek with your friends in your backyard. You all agree that the big oak tree in the middle of the yard will be the "safe" spot where no one can be found or tagged. You trust that the oak tree is a safe and reliable spot. This is kind of like a trust anchor.

In the world of the internet, a trust anchor is a special kind of digital certificate that helps keep our information safe when we're online. When you visit a website, your web browser checks to see if the website's digital certificate is trustworthy. If the digital certificate was issued by a trusted authority (a trust anchor), your web browser will let you visit the website.

Think of it like your parents telling you not to talk to strangers. You trust your parents to guide you and keep you safe. In the same way, your web browser trusts the trusted authority to verify and authenticate the website you're visiting.

So, a trust anchor is like a trusted authority in the world of digital certificates. It helps keep our information safe and secure when we're using the internet.