- Louvre criticized for using outdated software and using weak passwords
- A 2017 report warned of an imminent serious attack
- Less than half of the rooms are covered by cameras
The recent major jewelry heist at the Louvre, where thieves disguised as construction workers stole eight Crown Jewels worth an estimated €88 million ($101 million), might not have been so shocking after all.
New reports have revealed shocking security flaws at the iconic museum, including poor passwords and subpar IT protections.
This includes the fact that the Louvre’s surveillance server password is believed to have been the highly unimaginative “LOUVRE” – and that’s only the beginning, with investigations into this outage revealing other cybersecurity missteps.
The Louvre heist was going to happen anyway, in one form or another.
A 2017 audit had already warned that the threat of a serious attack could no longer be ignored.
Following the heist, the National Cybersecurity Agency (ANSSI) found that the museum’s office network was still using outdated systems, such as Windows 2000 and Windows Server 2003, lacking sufficient antivirus protection.
Although it is unclear whether weak passwords or outdated systems were still in place during the October 2025 heist, a 2014 report highlighted by a French newspaper Release (via Cybernews) confirmed that the surveillance network was protected with “LOUVRE” as the password.
The museum’s director, Laurence des Cars, at least admitted that the thieves were able to access the site because the “weak” CCTV perimeter failed to spot them early enough.
The report, leaked to the media a day after the heist, indicated that only 39% of the Louvre’s rooms were equipped with cameras last year and that the deployment of new cameras had been delayed (via The times).
French Culture Minister Rachida Dati says the Louvre’s security systems have not failed, however. Dati has since planned to create a new security department.
Additionally, the report details French President Emmanuel Macron’s plans to fund a separate room for the Mona Lisa via surcharges for Britons and other non-EU visitors, according to The times report.
Currently, four suspects are in police custody, but the jewelry has not been found.
Follow TechRadar on Google News And add us as your favorite source to get our news, reviews and expert opinions in your feeds. Make sure to click the Follow button!
And of course you can too follow TechRadar on TikTok for news, reviews, unboxings in video form and receive regular updates from us on WhatsApp Also.
