Persistent Virus

[J.Parker]

My computer was recently infected with a persistent virus.

While installing a suspicious file, multiple cmd windows popped up, and every program except the one I wanted was installed, including a folder with an anime exe. Recognizing it was a virus, I ran Malwarebytes and quarantined it. After restarting, the virus remained, and a few days later, I found two processes where one would revive the other. I killed both and deleted all associated files.

I thought I was in the clear, but when I tried to turn on Windows Defender, it had edited my policy and blocked access. Realizing the registry was compromised, I reset the boot drive and reinstalled Windows. Unfortunately, even after resetting, I am still facing various BSODs, and the virus has resurfaced with Defender being blocked again.

I'm currently flashing all drives and reinstalling once more, but I'm seriously worried my motherboard might be compromised. I'm experiencing numerous memory and kernel BSODs. Can anyone advise me or has anyone encountered a similar situation?

BTW - It was not detected by either Windows Defender full scan or Malwarebytes Premium after the reinstall.

[Shorter_513]

BSODs may not be the outcome of malware activity. In fact, properly made malware will never vandalize the host system, unless it is designed to do so. Despite how well Windows works nowadays, it may still injure itself during system reset or similar "harsh" events. This, or the reset somehow mangled your disk, creating bad sectors and eventually making the system malfunction.

P.S. if the suspected malware hides in the BIOS/mobo firmware, regular antiviruses will be useless against it as malware in that case runs on lower ring levels than what the antivirus does. But I sincerely question whether a regular user may get such a complicated malware, I mean, it exists, but sees brief application in targeted attacks, and will never give an obvious clue like a console window or a BSOD.