In a Windows setup, when users log onto their systems (be it directly or via remote access), they use their usernames and passwords. Behind the scenes, this authentication duty is managed by the Local Security Authority Subsystem Service (LSASS) process, identified as "lsass.exe." This process holds critical authentication information in its memory, including user credentials and password hashes.

Aware of this, hackers often target the LSASS process to extract users' sensitive Windows credentials from past login sessions. Once they've obtained these credentials, attackers can navigate through the network with more ease, a technique known as credential dumping. This step is crucial in an attacker's strategy to gain unauthorized access to accounts, passwords, and hashes.

Enabling LSA Protection prevents this kind of attacks