Significant amounts of feedback containing surprise reached my inbox after I exposed PC Power Speed as fraudware in a recent column.

Particularly intriguing was an email I received from Sylvia Hill, of Cambridge, who was interested in my comments about PC Power Speed, as it sounded similar to a program that she had downloaded and installed on her MacBook Pro called MacKeeper 2012.

Interestingly, it was only after having purchased it that MacKeeper ceased bombarding her with adverts.

Supposedly MacKeeper checks security tools, junk files and makes optimisation tweaks. "It does appear to pick up glitches and fix them," Sylvia said.

"However without the technical knowledge to get inside the computer and find out if these are real or imagined glitches, it is difficult to tell."

Sylvia is interested in my opinion about whether this is a genuine organisation or possibly malware.

Unfortunately, Mackeeper has been described by various sources as highly invasive malware that can destabilise your operating system, adding that it is unethically marketed, with a history of making false advertising claims, by a company called Zeobit, and a rip-off.

Get rid of this malware, but do not use the MacKeeper Uninstaller. Instead, follow the step-by-step instructions found at this site: applehelpwriter.com/2011/09/21/how-to-uninstall-mackeeper-malware/

You can find further information on viruses, trojans, malware and other aspects of internet security relevant to an Apple devices, at discussions.apple.com/docs/DOC-2435.

David Hallett is the Chief Nerd of Need A Nerd in the Waikato. Need A Nerd can be reached on 0800 633 326 (NEED A NERD). To ask a question email techtips@needanerd.co.nz and be in with a chance to win Norton 360 Version 6 by Symantec ($129 for three PCs).

- © Fairfax NZ News