When thieves stole $100 million in jewels from the world-famous Louvre Museum in Paris, France, they shocked the art world and revealed a serious digital weakness. French media reports say the museum once used its own name, Louvre, as a password for its surveillance system.

That detail may sound unbelievable, yet it highlights how often people still rely on weak passwords even in high-security places that should know better.

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Louvre password security flaws revealed in investigator’s audit

A decade-old French cybersecurity audit reportedly showed troubling gaps in the museum’s defenses. The Louvre is said to have once run outdated Windows Server 2003 software and had unguarded rooftop access, something eerily similar to how the recent thieves used an electric ladder to reach a balcony.

The biggest mistake? Using “Louvre” and “Thales” as passwords. One of them was even said to be visible on the login screen. That was like leaving the keys under the doormat of the world’s most famous museum.

CyberGuy reached out to the Louvre for comment, but did not receive a response before our deadline.

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

And while the Louvre may have tightened security since then, experts warn that password habits like these are still widespread among businesses and individuals.

Why Louvre’s weak passwords matter for your online security

You might not have priceless jewels to protect, but your personal data, financial info and digital identity are just as valuable to hackers. With the holiday shopping season here, cybercriminals ramp up their attacks, knowing millions of you are logging in, buying online and often reusing old passwords.

How to create stronger passwords

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

Protecting yourself online doesn’t have to be complicated. Follow these tips to boost your defenses:

• Avoid using your name or anything easily guessed.
• Mix uppercase and lowercase letters, numbers and symbols.
• Change passwords if a company you use reports a data breach.
• Skip sticky notes or digital files with unencrypted passwords.

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

Think beyond your phone or laptop. Your Wi-Fi router, smart home devices and even security cameras all have passwords that need attention.

Stay safe with a password manager

If keeping up with dozens of unique passwords sounds overwhelming, a password manager can help. These tools generate strong, unique, complex passwords for every account and store them securely in one encrypted vault. This reduces the risk of password reuse. Many password managers also alert you to compromised passwords or sites hit by data leaks.

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

Next, see if your email has been exposed in past breaches. Our No. 1 password manager (see Cyberguy.com) pick includes a built-in breach scanner that checks whether your email address or passwords have appeared in known leaks. If you discover a match, immediately change any reused passwords and secure those accounts with new, unique credentials.

Check out the best expert-reviewed password managers of 2025 at Cyberguy.com

Kurt’s key takeaways

The Louvre’s massive heist shows that even the most respected institutions can make simple cybersecurity mistakes. You can learn from their example by strengthening your own passwords and taking digital safety seriously. Start by creating unique, complex passwords for every account and consider using a password manager to keep them secure and organized. A few minutes of effort today can protect you from financial loss, identity theft or worse.

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Have you ever spotted a weak password or security risk that made you shake your head? Let us know by writing to us at Cyberguy.com

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When Jeff Bezos decided Amazon needed to get in the smartphone game, he went all in. And the resulting device, the Fire Phone, wound up more densely packed with big ideas than just about any gadget you’ll find anywhere. There was just one tiny problem: they were mostly bad ideas.

The Fire Phone shipped in 2014 with a feature list a mile long. The screen had a 3D effect! There were, like, 400 cameras! There was a whole home screen filled with something called “delighters!” But the Fire Phone was, above all, a way to buy things on Amazon. That was what Bezos wanted, after all. It’s just not what users wanted.

For this episode of Version History, we tell the story of the Fire Phone from beginning to end. (It doesn’t take that long.) David Pierce, Allison Johnson, and Sean O’Kane discuss how the success of the Kindle led to Amazon’s expanded hardware plans, the brewing fight with Apple over app store policies, the ways in which Bezos himself directed the product, and the astonishing speed with which the thing flopped. Only a few months after it launched, the Fire Phone could be had for less than a buck. People still didn’t want it.

Utlimately, the device that was supposed to be the beginning of something big for Amazon turned out to be very small indeed. But that doesn’t make its story any less interesting.

This is the fifth episode of Version History. (We’re more than halfway through season one!) If you want to find the show, there are three good places to go:

Thanks to everyone who has already watched or listened to the show, and has sent feedback! We’re already putting on the next bunch of episodes, and want to hear everything you think we should be doing or not doing or doing differently. What other huge product failures deserve their own episode? You tell us. In the meantime, if you want to know more about the Fire Phone story, here are some links to get you started:

A new bipartisan push in Washington is shining a spotlight on AI’s impact on jobs. Senators Josh Hawley, R-Mo., and Mark Warner, D-Va., introduced the AI-Related Job Impacts Clarity Act, which would require major companies and federal agencies to report AI-related job impacts to the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL).

The legislation is designed to shed light on how artificial intelligence is affecting the U.S. workforce.

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Key requirements of the AI-Related Job Impacts Clarity Act

The AI-Related Job Impacts Clarity Act sets out several core obligations:

• Covered entities must quarterly disclose job effects tied to AI. This includes layoffs, hires and positions left open because tasks were automated.
• The DOL must compile those disclosures and publish a public report, including to Congress.
• Non-publicly traded companies may be included under certain thresholds.

TRUMP’S AI PLAN IS A BULWARK AGAINST THE RISING THREAT FROM CHINA

The goal is to create a clear, consistent data source on how AI changes employment.

Why the AI-Related Job Impacts Clarity Act matters

AI is already reshaping the American workforce, and lawmakers from both parties say the country needs a clear view of what that means for jobs.

Hawley warned that the trend is accelerating. 

“Artificial intelligence is already replacing American workers, and experts project AI could drive unemployment up to 10 to 20% in the next five years,” Hawley said. “The American people need to have an accurate understanding of how AI is affecting our workforce, so we can ensure that AI works for the people, not the other way around.”

Warner agreed, saying good data is key to good policy 

“This bipartisan legislation will finally give us a clear picture of AI’s impact on the workforce, what jobs are being eliminated, which workers are being retrained, and where new opportunities are emerging,” he said. “Armed with this information, we can make sure AI drives opportunity instead of leaving workers behind.”

PROTECTING KIDS FROM AI CHATBOTS: WHAT THE GUARD ACT MEANS

Their shared goal is simple. The AI-Related Job Impacts Clarity Act would make AI’s workforce impact visible and accountable. It gives you and policymakers the hard data needed to guide smarter decisions about automation and employment.

Challenges in tracking AI-related job impacts

While the bill sounds promising, several hurdles remain. The biggest challenge is consistency. Each company decides what counts as an AI-related job impact, which could lead to uneven or incomplete reporting.

Smaller businesses might also escape the rules altogether if they fall outside the reporting thresholds. That could leave big gaps in understanding how automation affects local or niche industries.

Data quality is another concern. Even with reporting requirements, the system relies on companies to share accurate information. The Department of Labor will need strong verification to make sure the reports reflect reality.

LIZ PEEK: AI LAYOFFS COULD SPARK A SOCIALIST SURGE IF AMERICA IGNORES THE WARNING SIGNS

And while transparency is valuable, it doesn’t automatically protect jobs. The law can expose the problem, but real progress will depend on what policymakers and employers do with that data.

What this means for you

If you work in an industry where AI tools are becoming common, this bill could directly affect you. It would make it easier to see how automation changes jobs across the country. You’ll be able to find out which roles are being replaced and which ones are being created.

This new level of visibility could also pressure employers to be more transparent about layoffs. Companies may start explaining whether job cuts are truly due to AI or part of broader business shifts. That accountability could help workers plan smarter for the future.

With clearer data, policymakers and training programs can step in faster. If large numbers of people in a certain field lose work because of automation, the government could push for retraining or job placement efforts. It may even help workers prepare earlier by learning new digital or technical skills before AI impacts their roles.

SEN SANDERS: AI MUST BENEFIT EVERYONE, NOT JUST A HANDFUL OF BILLIONAIRES

Overall, this bill puts information in the public’s hands so workers can understand what’s happening to their jobs instead of being left in the dark.

Take my quiz: How safe is your online security?

Think your devices and data are truly protected? Take this quick quiz to see where your digital habits stand. From passwords to Wi-Fi settings, you’ll get a personalized breakdown of what you’re doing right and what needs improvement. Take my Quiz here: Cyberguy.com

Kurt’s key takeaways

The AI-Related Job Impacts Clarity Act marks a major step toward tracking how automation changes the American workforce. It doesn’t stop AI from transforming industries, but it gives workers and policymakers the facts they need to respond. Transparency can’t stop every job loss, but it can help guide smarter policies, retraining programs and career planning.

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If this new data shows your field is being reshaped by AI, would you start retraining now or wait to see how it plays out? Let us know by writing to us at Cyberguy.com

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