Final answer:
The virus that infects both files and the boot sector, ultimately altering the MBR, is known as a multipartite virus.
Step-by-step explanation:
The type of virus described in the question that first infects files and then operates as a boot sector virus, ultimately changing the Master Boot Record (MBR) of a hard disk is known as a multipartite virus. This virus is designed to execute multiple types of infections at once; it is capable of infecting both executable files and the boot sector. With the ability to load into memory on system start-up, it can continue to infect files while the system is running.