This time we consider the dark side of computing, where evil programmers are writing key loggers, virus programs, Trojan horses and other nasty kinds of software ... and showcase the good guys who are trying to stop them.

WEINSTEIN: "StopBadware.org is a partnership between top academic institutions, technology industry leaders, and volunteers, committed to protecting Internet users from threats to their privacy and security caused by bad software."

Maxim Weinstein is manager of StopBadware.org, at Harvard University's Berkman Center for Internet and Society.

Badware includes software that can cripple your computer, take it over and turn it into a spam-sending robot, or steal your personal information. Some badware can be installed without you knowing it. Others are hidden inside fun or useful programs, perhaps for instant messaging.

Badware, or malware as it's also called, can get onto your computer through email or an unsecured Internet connection, but often it's distributed through websites.

No website is completely immune from badware, but Weinstein says some kinds of sites are more likely to pose a danger.

WEINSTEIN: "That would be sites involving pornography, illegal copies of software, criminal behavior - the sites that are catering to that type of information, they tend to be a natural target for these types of attack."

StopBadware.org can help you learn about websites that might be a source of nasty software, but how do you know if you've been victimized? Weinstein says there are some signs to watch for.

WEINSTEIN: "Sudden changes in the performance of a computer, when your computer yesterday was working fine [and] today it's suddenly slower, suddenly you're getting pop-ups that weren't showing up before even when you're not online. Those are the first tip-offs. Of course, the most important message we always have for people is, prevention is far easier than detection and removal."

To minimize the danger that those sorts of programs might end up on your computer, StopBadware.org has a clearinghouse of sites that have been linked to badware. If you have your own website, it's a good place to check to see if your site has been hacked and may be inadvertently distributing badware.

Check it out at StopBadware.org, or get the link from our site, voanews.com.

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