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Interview question · Systems, OS & Memory Safety

How does Windows run services and hold credentials in LSASS, and why are services and LSASS central to both attack and defence?

Two things make Windows compromise spread: services that run with powerful identities, and a process that holds the credentials of everyone logged on.

mediumNewPreparation tags: Microsoft, CrowdStrike, Palo Alto NetworksUpdated Nov 2026

Two things make Windows compromise spread: services that run with powerful identities, and a process that holds the credentials of everyone logged on.

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  1. 01 State the assumptions your answer depends on.
  2. 02 Explain the mechanism and choose a control.
  3. 03 Name a condition that would change your decision.

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What if · the follow-ups in this answer

The answer works through 6 follow-ups like an interviewer would

A help-desk technician's admin account is used to log on to many user laptops for support, and one laptop is found compromised.

  1. How do Windows services run?
  2. Why are service configurations a risk?
  3. What does LSASS hold?
  4. Why is the technician's account now at risk?
  5. What should change?
  6. How would you respond and change practice?

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