Essentially, the trustd process is a part of macOS, since macOS Sierra 10.12. It is a daemon, meaning it runs in the background, performing important tasks on the system, specifically managing and verifying certificates.
What is Trustd? Why does it run on Mac?
What does Trustd do? Why does it run on Mac?
So, what are certificates? They are digital signatures that web browsers use to verify websites and protect against phishing sites. For example, when using the Safari browser, these certificates confirm that the URL you are visiting actually matches the requested domain. Additionally, these certificates are also used to encrypt traffic for HTTPS websites.
To check these certificates, simply click on the padlock icon next to the URL:
What is Trustd? Why does it run on Mac?
On macOS, applications like Mail and Messages utilize these certificates to verify identity. Essentially, trustd manages and verifies these certificates. Hence, when users set up a third-party Firewall, they often receive notifications related to trustd.
Verifying these certificates implies that applications are connected to the web, ensuring everything functions correctly.
Your computer maintains a list of trusted and blocked certificates, with additional certificates added when you visit specific websites. You can review existing certificates on the system using Keychain Access. Open Keychain Access by navigating to Applications => Utilities => Keychain Access.
What is Trustd? Why does it run on Mac?
To quickly see what trustd is doing on your computer and check for any dangerous certificates on your Mac, click on the Certificates button located in the bottom right corner. This is the fastest way to filter everything in Keychain Access.
In summary, the article on Mytour explained what trustd is and why it runs on Mac. Like trustd, many Mac users are curious about backupd—what it is and why it runs on Mac—especially since this process consumes a significant percentage of CPU performance. Readers can explore more processes running on Mac by searching and reading additional articles on Mytour.
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