''Try Louvre'' The thieves removed 8 pieces of French crown jewellery. Photo credit: EF Stock/Shutterstock
The October 19 Louvre heist is quickly becoming nan depository world’s balanced of “turn it disconnected and backmost connected again”, isolated from pinch €95 cardinal worthy of crown jewels missing. As specifications proceed to emerge, 1 peculiar revelation has caused corporate astonishment, mild disbelief, and a world chorus of “you’re joking”. According to wide circulated media reports, nan password for nan Louvre’s video-surveillance strategy was simply: “Louvre”.
Yes. The museum’s integer beforehand doorway was reportedly guarded by nan linguistic balanced of putting a cardinal nether nan mat labelled “key”. The depository has not confirmed this, of course, and apt ne'er will, but nan consistency of reporting crossed aggregate news outlets implies that, astatine nan very least, personification location made a imaginative determination astir password complexity requirements. The heist took spot successful wide daylight. During opening hours. The thieves removed 8 pieces of French crown jewellery, estimated astatine astir €95 million, pinch what investigators person described arsenic “impractical confidence” and “rather bully planning.”
A Familiar Face successful nan Line-Up
Suspect Had Previous Experience Guarding Museums
Among nan suspects arrested is simply a French nationalist and an Algerian/French nationalist successful his precocious 30s who antecedently worked arsenic a depository information guard, neither of them look to person had a ”Minkey”. Authorities person not yet confirmed which depository employed him, but this has not stopped nan nationalist making their ain assumptions pinch nan enthusiasm of amateur detectives and section constabulary agents specified arsenic Inspector Clouseau, Inspector Gadget and Poirot.
Investigators person suggested that insider knowledge played a role. The thieves appeared to cognize precisely erstwhile to move, wherever to debar being seen, and which unit passages were astir useful for a discreet exit. This has led to nan very reasonable conclusion that personification progressive whitethorn person antecedently seen nan building not only from nan gift shop. To beryllium fair, having a erstwhile information defender successful nan group does not automatically guarantee a successful depository heist. But it does somewhat amended nan likelihood compared to, say, a group of men who learned their strategy by watching YouTube “museum break-in speedruns”.
Reactions Ranging from Outrage to Facepalming
Cultural Sector Suggests “Updating Passwords Might Be Wise”
News of nan allegedly simplistic password has prompted an outpouring of nationalist commentary. Some person expressed shock. Others person expressed sympathy. And many, galore much person expressed that nan password should person astatine slightest been “Louvre1”.
Cybersecurity experts, meanwhile, person utilized nan infinitesimal to reiterate very superior points:
- Passwords should not beryllium nan sanction of nan building.
- Passwords should not beryllium nan point wrong nan building.
- Passwords should not beryllium nouns printed connected nan beforehand of nan building successful 9-foot letters visible from crossed nan Seine.
- Passwords should incorporate astatine slightest 1 superior letter, 1 number and 1 typical letter.
The depository nevertheless highlighted that its information involves aggregate layers of protection, galore of which were not compromised. This whitethorn beryllium true. It besides whitethorn beryllium that each depository master successful Europe is presently reviewing their password lists pinch nan velocity of a personification who abruptly remembers leaving nan oven on.
Highlights
- Eight pieces of French crown jewellery worthy astir €95 cardinal were stolen from nan Louvre successful a coordinated daylight heist.
- Widely reported accounts authorities nan CCTV strategy password was “Louvre”, a prime now being studied successful cybersecurity presentations nether nan class “teachable moments.”
- One arrested fishy is simply a erstwhile depository information guard, reinforcing nan likelihood of insider familiarity.
- The Louvre has not confirmed password specifications but has begun reviewing soul information procedures, presumably while taking a very heavy breath.
Stolen Jewels Now nan Subject of Global Search
Interpol Involved, Black Market Expected to Be Regrettably Busy
Authorities, including Interpol, are attempting to trace nan jewels crossed borders. Historically, stolen taste items seldom reappear quickly, they thin to resurface years aliases decades later, usually successful an attic, a backstage collection, aliases occasionally connected eBay pinch nan explanation “decorative object, flimsy humanities significance.”
The Louvre remains open, naturally, though rumour suggests nan password business has already been addressed. Possibly moreover pinch numbers.
One mightiness opportunity lessons person been learned.
One mightiness besides opportunity two-factor authentication is having a very large week
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