Facepalm: One would imagine that the Louvre, home of a collection of works worth an estimated $30-50 billion, has one of the best security systems in the world. But following a recent heist at the museum, it's been revealed that its video surveillance system had used the hard-to-guess password 'LOUVRE,' while its automation network used computers running Windows 2000.
Following a burglary at the Louvre on October 19 in which thieves took jewelry from the French Crown Jewels valued at $102 million, reports have been scrutinizing the museum's security.
According to the French publication Libération (via Tom's Hardware), the French National Agency for the Security of Information Systems (ANSSI) reported in 2014 that the password for the museum's video surveillance system was LOUVRE.
The audit also revealed that a different system, one built by defense and cybersecurity company Thales, used THALES as its login password.
The other big facepalm reveal was that the museum's automation network used computers running Windows 2000, which Microsoft stopped supporting in 2010. According to the publication, the Louvre was still running outdated operating systems as late as 2021.
🇫🇷 The entire Louvre security camera system was protected by the password "Louvre"
– Visegrád 24 (@visegrad24) November 5, 2025
The museum was also running software from 2003 that hadn't received security updates for years.
Earlier, prosecutors noted that the robbery was carried out not by professionals, but by petty… https://t.co/XK9dlTJzBG pic.twitter.com/OKGlxKgpJp
It appears that the Louvre hasn't exactly implemented cutting-edge security in recent times. Prior to the heist, a court of auditors' report said investments in maintenance and security were "indispensable for the long-term functioning of the institution", but that the museum had consistently prioritised "visible and attractive" projects instead, writes The Guardian.
It was also found that a security audit a decade ago, which had concluded the Louvre was not sufficiently monitored or prepared for a crisis, only led to a tender for security work in 2024.
The recent repot also highlighted a persistent delay in the deployment of security equipment for the protection of the artworks and that only 39% of rooms had been fitted with CCTV cameras. The security upgrade project isn't expected to be completed until 2032.
An inquiry into last week's theft found that the Louvre has "an inadequate level of security measures." The thieves used a truck-mounted lift to enter the Louvre's Galerie d'Apollon through a window, stealing the items in under eight minutes. Disguised as construction workers, they escaped before police arrived. Several suspects, including a former museum guard and social-media figure, were later arrested, but the stolen jewels remain missing.