@IntuitGabi related or not, I can neither confirm nor deny -- this User also had pre-existing Windows critical events (Start menu, Your phone, Microsoft Store - a real hodgepodge of horrors,) in addition to this specific Lacerte menace.

An afternoon with Windows 10's Reset this PC, and reinstallation of several years of Intuit Lacerte tax applications, I am hopeful this PC is now "clean." (Knock on wood, no jinx!) Next up are the various flavors of Intuit QuickBooks to reinstall - yippee!