Many users of Windows Vista operating systems and the modifications above encounter an unexpected problem when the Lsass.exe service loads the processor (Windows 7 is no exception), and to such an extent that it is simply impossible to work even with “native” OS services, not to mention running custom applications. What is the reason for this phenomenon and how to fix the problem, now we will understand.
The Lsass.exe service loads the processor (Windows 7): what is this process?
First, let's look at the service itself. It is a kind of user identifier at login. The process itself refers to the components of determining the authenticity of a local security system and in the original is completely safe.
But why, then, in some cases, does the Lsass.exe process load the processor (Windows 7)? Responses from experts suggest that short-term bursts in the consumption of computing power can occur - this is normal. But at the same time, peak loads can be no more than 50-60%. But not all one hundred?
You can, of course, try to disable the indexing service in the corresponding section, but there is little chance of success, since in most cases this situation is associated with a virus exposure.
Possible causes of excessive loads
In fact, the situation when the Lsass.exe service loads the processor (we just take Windows 7 as an example of the OS) can only indicate that a virus is present on the computer. This is usually a trojan or spy disguising itself as a system process.
And most often, the process is not limited to only one process involved in the load on the processor. Along the way, in the same "Task Manager" you can notice the appearance of a large number of processes with the common designation svhost.exe. And this already clearly indicates the viral effect.
Note: there can be four or five svhost processes. If their number clearly exceeds this figure, this is a symptom of infection.
If Lsass.exe is loading the processor (Windows 7), what should I use first?
Thus, it is easy to guess that when such symptoms appear, you need to immediately check the system with an anti - virus scanner, but not with the one installed in the system. In addition, third-party utilities are preferably portable.
You can find the virus yourself. If it became noticeable that the Lsass.exe service is loading the processor (Windows 7), in the simplest case you should look at the original executable file. It should be located exclusively in the System32 directory of the system’s main folder. At the same time, for versions of Windows Vista and higher, its size is 56.5 Kb. If the search reveals any other components (possibly even hidden) in a different location and with a different size from the original, such objects must be immediately removed. If the system displays a ban on removal, you need to restart the computer in safe mode and try to delete again. It is very likely that the properties will need to remove an attribute that indicates read-only.
Most suitable tools
But the main problem, judging by the feedback from Internet users, is that not all anti-virus protection tools can determine the presence of this threat on the computer. For example, the same Avast does not give a result. In general, it is not recommended to use free scanners to check the system (only because of their limited capabilities).
But back to the situation when the Lsass.exe service loads the processor (Windows 7). What to do in this case? It is best to turn to specialized utilities for help, among which the following can be noted:
- AdwCleaner.
- Anti-Malware.
- Kaspersky Anti-Ransomware Tool.
- FixSecurity et al.
It is these programs that are just good in that they have a narrow focus on identifying threats of a strictly defined nature. However, the list is not limited to these utilities only. If you wish, you can search for something else similar.
Troubleshoot Google Chrome Browser
There is one more type of situation when the Lsass.exe service loads the processor (Windows 7). Quite often, this is due to Internet surfing, when Google Chrome is used as the main browser. It is still not clear why this happens, but the fact remains.
At least judging by the reviews, the usual reinstallation of the program helps. Perhaps, too many installed extensions play a role here, which affect this behavior of the system. After reinstalling the browser, if there is a need to use additional add-ons, it is better to install them or turn them on one by one, and not all at once.
Instead of an afterword
As you can see, excessive processor load can be caused by several factors. In the case of viruses, it is best to use the above utilities as the main method of eliminating the problem, but the prerequisite is updating the databases to the current state, because otherwise the threat may not be detected. Regarding the use of other antivirus programs, some users claim that they do not identify threats. In addition, some applications like the free version of AVZ do not work fully correctly with 64-bit systems, although the manufacturer claims the opposite. The same free packages are very often limited in the main functionality or do not even allow updating their own databases.
Cases of problems with the Google Chrome browser can be called isolated, nevertheless they still occur. In order not to lose your own data, before deleting the browser, you can export bookmarks to a file so that you can quickly restore them later. And it is desirable to perform the removal not with your own uninstaller, but with more powerful means, for example, the iObit Uninstaller program, which removes not only the main, but also the residual program files, as well as keys and registry entries.
But in general, the problem should be treated in the same way as the usual elimination of viral threats. And the situation itself is not out of the ordinary either. Although, if the suspicion of a virus was too late, personal data could be at risk. So, as soon as you see the first symptoms, you must immediately take drastic measures. In any case, you need to take care of the security of your own computer in advance and install at least some shareware antivirus. A good solution might be to install ESET Smart Security. True, the activation of this software product will have to be done every month. But the keys or “rectifiers” of licenses can be found even on the official Russian-language resource of the developer, so this is not a problem. But the risk of catching the virus will decrease very significantly. It goes without saying that you can install other similar applications, especially since all of them provide for updating the database several times a day.