Can I be sued/arrested for invasion of privacy.

Sounds like no good deed goes unpunished.  Invasion of privacy is a civil tort. It is not usually a criminal act unless Maryland has a law that mimics federal law on computer security. From the facts you included I assume you had permission to use the computer including through remote access. I am assuming you were using it for the friend's benefit, in accord with the permission that you had received.I am also assuming that you and you went to the file folder because were looking for a reason why the program you were working on was misbehaving.  If these assumptions are correct, I can't see how you would be liable to your friend criminally or civilly. If they are incorrect, there could be repercussions under federal computer security laws--both civilly and criminally. You should consult with a local attorney should your friend continue to threaten to sue. that way s/he can advise you in how best to protect yourself from liability.   Michael A. Caldwell, DeLong, Caldwell, Bridgers & Fitzpatrick, LLC 404-979-3150 DeLong, Caldwell. .