RootkitA has compromised my computer.
RootkitA has compromised my computer.
Your machine had a Rootkit infection and cleaning efforts were hindered by BIOS flashing limitations. The issue stemmed from EZ Flash only supporting FAT32, requiring NTFS for the OS, which meant installing the operating system first. Once that was done, you could proceed with flashing the BIOS. Your computer was resolved, but you're concerned about residual threats or future infections. Thank you for reaching out.
It may become infected once more if you install another virus. It seems you likely didn’t need to reprogram the BIOS; simply reinstalling Windows usually resolves it. However, clearing all data from every device should eliminate the threat.
Rootkit still lingers after I reinstalled Windows, I had to flash the BIOS and the virus disappeared, but I’m concerned about getting infected again.
You could easily grab a few inexpensive flash drives at the shop. They’re likely set up with FAT32 by default. Updating your BIOS isn’t required just to remove an infection. Simply wiping the drive and creating a fresh partition table should suffice.
It would only cause reinfection if you install the same rootkit or if it spread to another device on your network. Since you don’t have another PC, you’re likely safe. Stay cautious online and avoid getting infected again.
I understand you're trying to explain that your BIOS might still have a rootkit before you reformat the drives, and that this old BIOS rootkit could potentially re-infect your HDD.
Avoid installing new hard drives on the motherboard if you already have a root kit installed. The infection may spread this way. Isolate the current drive, wipe it, and then reformat the BIOS using a BIOS flasher tool.
It’s highly improbable you’re dealing with a rootkit, especially one embedded in your motherboard firmware. Do you have evidence showing which files were added to your system? Here are some ideas: Try Mozilla Firefox for privacy and ad-blocking, and add the NoScript browser extension. When set to "untrusted," it blocks scripts from running on untrusted sites. Most sites require their main scripts to load, so you’d need to enable every site in noscript as you open them. I do this—and it’s straightforward. A simpler alternative is Privacy Badger, created by eff.org. It won’t stop all malicious scripts, which is why I prefer NoScript. Another effective method is browsing through a virtual machine. It may seem complicated, but it’s actually quite simple. Visit the Windows software store and install Ubuntu (which means “harmony”). This downloads an operating system that runs in a separate virtual environment, isolated from your main system. Even in this sandbox, Ubuntu remains much safer than Windows—only about 40 known viruses exist, all requiring your password to access. Because it’s a Linux system, it powers everything from network devices to the space station and Voyager probes. The top 500 supercomputers use Linux, as do the Internet’s core components. If you ever suspect malware, you can safely browse without risking your main machine.
Do you own a phone? If so, you can connect it using a USB adapter to update its BIOS on a USB drive. Alternatively, if your device has an SD card slot, you can transfer files onto the SD card and then attach it to the USB for use with your PC. I went through this myself because my BIOS couldn't recognize my CPU and RAM.