Every PC comes with malware already installed by most manufacturers. (Yes, if I have to spend time removing bloated stuff it's malware, I don't care if it's an "antivirus demo" or something like that)
Now, if it's a hardware detail, this is more interesting.
Not all malware can be removed the way you remove that antivirus demo. From the Der Spiegel article[1]:
> Take, for example, when they intercept shipping deliveries. If a target person, agency or company orders a new computer or related accessories, for example, TAO can divert the shipping delivery to its own secret workshops. The NSA calls this method interdiction. At these so-called "load stations," agents carefully open the package in order to load malware onto the electronics, or even install hardware components that can provide backdoor access for the intelligence agencies. All subsequent steps can then be conducted from the comfort of a remote computer.
Naturally, if they also load a keyboard logger or whatever, no amount of formatting that new laptop would help.
What about changing your BIOS to intercept keystrokes? Or hacking the hard drive firmware, so they would have the master key for your encrypted disk next time you cross the border? A lot more effective than any other software-based solution.
A few years ago we'd say this is all crazy conspiracy theory. Nowadays this this is just NSA's business as usual tactics [1].
Every PC comes with malware already installed by most manufacturers. (Yes, if I have to spend time removing bloated stuff it's malware, I don't care if it's an "antivirus demo" or something like that)
Now, if it's a hardware detail, this is more interesting.