IThelp07

You pose an interesting question which I will try to answer to your satisfaction but I have to say that what I am about to write is based on my own experience.

But first, as Remoc quite rightly said that there are many ways to have your identity stolen, one Saturday, a couple of years ago, my CC company phoned me and asked if I was trying to use my credit card to buy a £500 TV. I replied that I was not, as I have a TV already. My CC company cancelled the transaction. About a month later they contacted me again saying somebody in Leeds (I live in London) was trying to use my credit card to by £500 worth of ladies clothes. My CC company then cancelled the transaction and the CC card and, of course, sent me a new card.

Now to your query, sharing files cannot compromise your PC or identity in any way unless you have inadvertently shared the folder/directory you keep your personal documents in.

The only known way to steal your identity is if someone has planted a "Keylogger" on your PC. Keyloggers are usually planted via a Trojan/Virus or hidden in some sort of popular file. Again, I have had a keylogger planted on my PC but my anti-spyware apps found and deleted it. As you may know, keyloggers are there to steal your passwords, especially if you do Internet Banking, and send them onto hackers (usually working for criminals).

Therefore, to give you a definite answer, if you have Limewire or any other P2P app set up properly then your identity is under no threat. However, this does not negate your responsibility to insure that you have an AV, anti-spyware, firewall and probably an anti fly-by installer apps protecting your PC.

One thing you might want to consider, I have an external USB HD set up with my LW's "Shared" and "Incomplete" folders, that way my C:\ drive, with my personal documents, remains unshared and unused by LW.



UK Bob