In a system utilizing a 3-level page table, where the first 8 bits are designated for the first level and subsequent bits for the subsequent levels, physical addresses span 44 bits. Additionally, there are 4 protection bits allocated per page. Explore and discuss the implications of this page table structure on memory management and protection mechanisms. Explain how the levels are utilized to map virtual addresses to physical addresses and how the protection bits contribute to ensuring the security and integrity of the memory system.