Thieves steal $100M in jewels from Louvre after museum used own name as surveillance password

When thieves stole $100 cardinal successful jewels from the world-famous Louvre Museum successful Paris, France, they shocked the creation satellite and revealed a superior integer weakness. French media reports accidental the depository erstwhile utilized its ain name, Louvre, arsenic a password for its surveillance system.

That item whitethorn dependable unbelievable, yet it highlights however often radical inactive trust connected anemic passwords adjacent successful high-security places that should cognize better.

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Thieves reportedly stole much than $100 cardinal successful jewels from the world-famous Louvre Museum successful Paris, exposing astonishing gaps successful security. (AP Photo/Thibault Camus)

Louvre password information flaws revealed successful investigator's audit

A decade-old French cybersecurity audit reportedly showed troubling gaps successful the museum's defenses. The Louvre is said to person erstwhile tally outdated Windows Server 2003 bundle and had unguarded rooftop access, thing eerily akin to however the caller thieves utilized an electrical ladder to scope a balcony.

The biggest mistake? Using "Louvre" and "Thales" arsenic passwords. One of them was adjacent said to beryllium disposable connected the login screen. That was similar leaving the keys nether the doormat of the world's astir celebrated museum.

CyberGuy reached retired to the Louvre for comment, but did not person a effect earlier our deadline.

LOUVRE DIRECTOR GRILLED ON SPECTACULAR SECURITY FAILURES, INCLUDING CAMERA POINTING AWAY FROM KEY BALCONY

And portion the Louvre whitethorn person tightened information since then, experts pass that password habits similar these are inactive wide among businesses and individuals.

Why Louvre's anemic passwords substance for your online security

You mightiness not person priceless jewels to protect, but your idiosyncratic data, fiscal info and integer individuality are conscionable arsenic invaluable to hackers. With the vacation buying play here, cybercriminals ramp up their attacks, knowing millions of you are logging in, buying online and often reusing aged passwords.

How to make stronger passwords

Reports revealed the depository erstwhile utilized elemental passwords similar "Louvre" and "Thales," raising superior cybersecurity concerns. (AP Photo/Thomas Padilla)

REPORTER’S NOTEBOOK: A PARIS JEWEL HEIST STRAIGHT OUT OF THE MOVIES

Protecting yourself online doesn't person to beryllium complicated. Follow these tips to boost your defenses:

• Avoid utilizing your sanction oregon thing easy guessed.
• Mix uppercase and lowercase letters, numbers and symbols.
• Change passwords if a institution you usage reports a information breach.
• Skip sticky notes oregon integer files with unencrypted passwords.

LOUVRE HEIST IN BROAD DAYLIGHT AMID APPARENT SECURITY LAPSES PUTS GLOBAL MUSEUMS ON ALERT

Think beyond your telephone oregon laptop. Your Wi-Fi router, astute location devices and even security cameras each person passwords that request attention.

Stay harmless with a password manager

If keeping up with dozens of unsocial passwords sounds overwhelming, a password manager tin help. These tools make strong, unique, analyzable passwords for each relationship and store them securely successful 1 encrypted vault. This reduces the hazard of password reuse. Many password managers besides alert you to compromised passwords oregon sites deed by information leaks.

LOUVRE HEIST ADDS TO HISTORY OF HIGH-PROFILE MUSEUM BREACHES, LEAVES OTHER GALLERIES ON EDGE

Next, spot if your email has been exposed successful past breaches. Our No. 1 password manager (see Cyberguy.com) prime includes a built-in breach scanner that checks whether your email code oregon passwords person appeared successful known leaks. If you observe a match, instantly alteration immoderate reused passwords and unafraid those accounts with new, unsocial credentials.

Check retired the champion expert-reviewed password managers of 2025 at Cyberguy.com

Cybersecurity experts accidental everyone should fortify passwords and see utilizing a password manager to enactment protected online. (Neil Godwin/Future via Getty Images)

Kurt's cardinal takeaways

The Louvre's monolithic heist shows that adjacent the astir respected institutions tin marque elemental cybersecurity mistakes. You tin larn from their illustration by strengthening your ain passwords and taking integer information seriously. Start by creating unique, analyzable passwords for each relationship and see utilizing a password manager to support them unafraid and organized. A fewer minutes of effort contiguous tin support you from fiscal loss, individuality theft oregon worse.

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Have you ever spotted a anemic password oregon information hazard that made you shingle your head? Let america cognize by penning to america at Cyberguy.com

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