If you do not feel it is a virus, and the browser misdirects sounds like it is, perhaps you could go back to the Services.msc dialog. My Security Centers shows set to start as Automatic (Delayed).
After that, right click on the service and go to properties. Look under the Dependencies tab and check what has to be running for it to run.
Mine shows Remote Procedure Call (RPC) and Windows Management Instrumentation (WMI). If you check those services, are they running? If they aren't, can you start them and they are both automatic start. If not, try the next level for those.
Let us know what you discover.