When you use the Internet to perform a large number of confidential transactions, many of the web sites you visit use a digital certificate system as a way to verify that you are who you say you are. This digital certificate that is issued to you will be compared to the root certificate that they maintain at their home site.
The Root Certificate Is a Major Part of Your Online Security
Each of the digital certificates that are issued has a limited lifespan and to be useful they must be still match the root certificate that we maintain. The root certificate is a vital part of your security. Keep in mind that while anyone can put up a site that looks like your bank, if they do not have the root certificate to verify their identity, your browser is going to let you know that you are on a fake site and deny you access.