Microsoft admits June Windows 10 Patch Tuesday updates causing crashes

Surface Laptop 3 13.5 (Image credit: Future)

What you need to know

June's Patch Tuesday updates to Windows 10 are causing PCs to crash.
The bug is caused by a failure in the Local Security Authority Subsystem Service file Isass.exe.
The issue affects devices running Windows 10 version 1809, 1903, 1909, and 2004.

Microsoft confirmed recently that its Windows 10 Patch Tuesday updates in June cause system crashes for some PCs (via ZDNet). The issue is caused by a failure in the Local Security Authority Subsystem Service (LSASS) file Isass.exe. The bug affects PCs running Windows 10 version 1809, 1903, 1909, and 2004. It's unclear how many PCs are affected by the issue at this time, but Microsoft is "working on a resolution and will provide an update in an upcoming release."

Microsoft outlines the problem in the support documents for Windows 10 versions 1809, 1903, and 2004. The support documents state:

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 also states that the out-of-band update that shipped on June 16 is affected by the LSASS issue.

Microsoft is working on a fix for the issue that will "provide an update in an upcoming release." At this time, Microsoft has not confirmed if the issue affects earlier versions of Windows 10.

Microsoft recently announced that optional cumulative updates will resume in July, so there's a chance that a fix for the LSASS issue could roll out in an optional cumulative update.

Sean Endicott is a news writer and apps editor for Windows Central with 11+ years of experience. A Nottingham Trent journalism graduate, Sean has covered the industry’s arc from the Lumia era to the launch of Windows 11 and generative AI. Having started at Thrifter, he uses his expertise in price tracking to help readers find genuine hardware value.

Beyond tech news, Sean is a UK sports media pioneer. In 2017, he became one of the first to stream via smartphone and is an expert in AP Capture systems. A tech-forward coach, he was named 2024 BAFA Youth Coach of the Year. He is focused on using technology—from AI to Clipchamp—to gain a practical edge.