For an OEM, it ensures that the device running in the field is exactly the software that left the factory. For a security researcher, it is the first place to look when analyzing a compromised device. For a banking app, it is the difference between trusting the transaction and rejecting it.
if [ "$CURRENT" = "$STOCK_DIGEST" ]; then echo "Boot chain matches stock – likely unmodified" else echo "Boot chain modified – custom vbmeta or tampered" fi ro.boot.vbmeta.digest