The pre-authentication requires the requesting user to supply its secret key (DES, RC4, AES128 or AES256) derived from the user password. Technically, when asking the KDC (Key Distribution Center) for a TGT (Ticket Granting Ticket), the requesting user needs to validate pre-authentication by sending a timestamp encrypted with it's own credentials in an AS_REQ
message. It ensures the user is requesting a TGT for himself. When attackers obtain a man-in-the-middle position, they are sometimes able to capture pre-authentication messages, including the encrypted timestamps. Attackers can try to crack those encrypted timestamps to retrieve the user's password.