It is being called the biggest story of our times. The Pegasus snooping case — in which the central government has been accused of using Israeli spyware to hack the phones of not just its political opponents and critical journalists, but also some of its own members — has caused such an uproar that even the Indian Parliament had to be adjourned recently after an angry opposition demanded a probe into the matter. It’s still unclear as to whether the allegations are true or not, though the government hasn’t specifically denied them. But the fact remains that our gadgets are increasingly at risk from hackers, who are using advanced software to steal our private information. No one wants that, and we got Prathamesh Sonsurkar, a cyber-security expert who hosts workshops on protecting people’s data as part of whitehack.in, to share tips on how everyday people can keep their gadgets safe from hackers.

* Be smart: Sonsurkar says that the smarter your gadget is, the easier it gets to hack. “A simple Nokia 1100 phone is the best device to save yourself from hackers. A gadget is at risk as soon as Artificial Intelligence enters the picture, which is why a Maruti 800 is better-protected than smart cars, which can be jammed by remote hacking, and that holds true for smart TVs and home appliances as well,” Sonsurkar says, adding, “That is why it’s said that a person should be smart and not their gadget, because it might outwit you otherwise.”