A PCB trace is a thin, conductive pathway made from copper on a printed circuit board (PCB). These traces connect various electronic components, allowing electrical signals and power to flow between them. PCB traces are designed to replace traditional wires, making electronic devices more compact and reliable. Their width, thickness, and layout are carefully engineered to handle specific amounts of current and to minimize issues like signal interference or overheating. In cybersecurity, understanding PCB traces can be important for hardware security assessments, as attackers may attempt to tamper with or analyze traces to compromise device integrity or extract sensitive data.