MacKeeper is computer software for macOS. MacKeeper was developed by ZeoBIT, later acquired by Kromtech, and is currently owned by Clario Tech. MacKeeper has a troubled and litigious history. Zeobit settled a class action lawsuit accusing them of deceptive advertising and making false claims about MacKeeper's capabilities, and Kromtech unsuccessfully sued MacKeeper critics. Some versions are difficult to uninstall, and some versions have been flagged as undesirable by other anti-virus programs. In 2015, the personal information of 13 million users was publicly accessible on the web. History MacKeeper was first released in 2010 by Zeobit. Versions 1 and 2 received mixed reviews. A 2011 press release by Avira and ZeoBIT revealed that MacKeeper integrated Avira's antivirus scanning engine. In April 2013, MacKeeper was acquired by Kromtech. Kromtech was closely affiliated with Zeobit, and hired many former Kyiv-based Zeobit employees. In December 2015, security researcher Chris Vickery found that MacKeeper customer data was unsecured and publicly accessible on the internet, exposing the emails, phone numbers, and other information of over 13 million MacKeeper users; Kromtech rapidly secured the customer database. In 2019, a newly-founded company, Clario Tech, acquired Kromtech and MacKeeper. Reception Coverage Many antivirus programs classified MacKeeper version 3 as a potentially unwanted program or adware and prompted users to remove it. The official uninstaller "[left] pieces behind", resulting in regular pop-ups to convince users to reinstall the app. Business Insider recommended users avoid or uninstall the product. Both Tom's Guide and MacWorld have published how-to guides for deleting the software. Version 1 & 2 of the program received mixed reviews, with reviewers being divided as to the effectiveness of the software. Some versions of MacKeeper opened a critical security hole in customers' Macs; Kromtech later issued a fix. AV-Comparatives found that MacKeeper warned of "serious" issues on a brand-new clean copy of macOS, which could only be fixed by purchasing the program. This was deemed scareware by cybersecurity journalist Brian Krebs. French news outlet Le Figaro called MacKeeper a scam, and criticized its reliance on "fear". Computerworld described MacKeeper as "a virulent piece of software". MacKeeper's marketing tactics drew criticism. Zeobit was accused of employing aggressive pop-under ads, planting sockpuppet reviews, and setting up websites to discredit its competitors. In 2015, PCWorld noted that MacKeeper ads were "all over the web", and that Kromtech claimed to be buying 60 million ad impressions a month. MacKeeper was in part promoted