The problem is caused by a failure with the Local Security Authority Subsystem Service, or LSASS file (lsass.exe), which authenticates user logins to a PC or server and handles password changes (via Bleeping Computer).
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The bug was added to the support pages of a handful of updates, including Windows 10 cumulative updates version 1909 (KB4560960 (opens in new tab)), version 2014 (KB4557957 (opens in new tab)) as well as the optional updates KB4567512 (opens in new tab) and KB4567523 (opens in new tab). The latter two updates are out-of-band patches that fixed an issue preventing people from printing with certain printers. “The Local Security Authority Subsystem Service (LSASS) file (lsass.exe) might fail on some devices with the error message, ‘A critical system process, C:\WINDOWS\system32\lsass.exe, failed with status code c0000008. The machine must now be restarted’,” Microsoft writes in the “known issues” section of the update documents. Microsoft says a patch will fix the LSASS file problem in a future update but didn’t give a timeline for when it will arrive. While the problem doesn’t appear to be widespread, it’s causing headaches for those who encounter it. Several Windows 10 users have complained about the error on social media or on Microsoft’s own support pages. “We have some machines on our domain that’s crashing upon login,” one user wrote (opens in new tab). “They get the ‘Your PC Will Automatically Restart in One Minute’ then they are forced to restart. After the restart, they’re able to login again and continue working until the next day.” Another Windows 10 laptop owner said (opens in new tab) the problem happened four times in a matter of a week. Within the same thread, someone else said they have 100 systems crippled by the same error.
What to do now
It appears restarting your Windows 10 laptop is a temporary fix should you be unlucky enough to run into this LSASS problem. It should get you back into your system but there is a good chance you’ll encounter the error again somewhere down the line. The good news is that Microsoft is aware of the issue and currently working on a patch. If you can’t wait for a fix, your best bet is to revert to a more stable version of Windows 10. Unfortunately, by uninstalling the June updates, you’re also getting rid of some important security patches, so be sure to weigh the pros and cons before proceeding. If the errors are unbearable, you can type “update history” in Windows Search and select “Uninstall Updates” from the Settings/View update history window. From the list, find KB4560960 or KB4557957 and select Uninstall. You should be in the clear once you’ve restarted your device.
