The purpose of credential stores in UiPath Orchestrator is to securely store sensitive data such as Robot credentials and Credential Assets for use in automation processes. Credential stores are external services that provide encryption and protection for sensitive data. Orchestrator can integrate with various credential stores, such as CyberArk, Azure Key Vault, and HashiCorp Vault, and use them to store and retrieve the credentials for the Robots and the Credential Assets. Credential Assets are global variables that can store passwords, usernames, API keys, and other confidential information. By using credential stores, the developer can ensure that the sensitive data is not exposed or compromised, and that the automation processes can access the data securely and efficiently. References: [Credential Stores], [Credential Assets]