You'd think the world's most famous museum, home of the Mona Lisa, Venus de Milo, and enough priceless art to fund a small nation, would have an equally sophisticated security system. Well, not exactly.
A new report by French newspaper Libération claims that the password for the Louvre's video surveillance system was literally "Louvre." That's right, maybe one step step above "Alohomora", but still...
Might require more than a basic password
According to Libération, audits stretching back years found glaring security lapses, from weak passwords to 20-year-old software still running on museum systems. One report in 2014 by France's national cybersecurity agency confirmed the embarrassing detail: yes, the password really was "Louvre."
The revelation comes just weeks after a group of thieves pulled off one of the boldest robberies in decades, stealing crown jewels worth tens of millions of dollars in broad daylight. They reportedly entered through a second-floor window using power tools and a ladder truck, completed the job in just eight minutes, and vanished into Paris.
Authorities have since arrested four people, but the stolen jewels remain missing. While investigators have not confirmed that the surveillance system played any role in the robbery, the revelation about the password has only deepened embarrassment for the institution once considered one of the most secure in the world.