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Thieves steal $100M in jewels from Louvre after museum used own name as surveillance password

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Thieves steal 0M in jewels from Louvre after museum used own name as surveillance password

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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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Thieves reportedly stole more than $100 million in jewels from the world-famous Louvre Museum in Paris, exposing surprising gaps in security. (AP Photo/Thibault Camus)

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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 The Louvre is said to have once run outdated Windows Server 2003 software and had unguarded rooftop access, something eerily similar to how the recent thieves used an electric ladder to reach a balcony.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.

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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

Reports revealed the museum once used simple passwords like “Louvre” and “Thales,” raising serious cybersecurity concerns. (AP Photo/Thomas Padilla)

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.

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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

Cybersecurity experts say everyone should strengthen passwords and consider using a password manager to stay protected online. (Neil Godwin/Future via Getty Images)

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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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Copyright 2025 CyberGuy.com. All rights reserved.  

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Anthropic upgrades Claude’s memory to attract AI switchers

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Anthropic upgrades Claude’s memory to attract AI switchers

Anthropic is making it easier to switch to its Claude AI from other chatbots with an update that brings Claude’s memory feature to users on the free plan, along with a new prompt and dedicated tool for importing data from other chatbots. These upgrades could allow users who have been using rivals like OpenAI’s ChatGPT or Google’s Gemini to quickly copy the data their preferred AI has collected on them and bring it over to Anthropic’s chatbot. That way, they don’t have to “start over” teaching Claude the context and history their previous chatbot already knows.

The option to import and export memories from Claude has been available since October, when Anthropic also rolled out the option for users to turn on Claude’s memory. Up until now, the memory feature was only available to users on paid Claude subscriptions, but now all Claude users can turn it on by going into “settings” then “capabilities.” This menu is also where users can find the new memory importing tool, which has users copy a pre-written prompt into their previous AI then copy the output from that prompt back into Claude’s importing tool.

Anthropic is introducing the upgraded memory importing tool as Claude is seeing a rise in popularity, driven by tools like Claude Code and Claude Cowork. Last month, Anthropic launched its new Opus 4.6 and Sonnet 4.6 models, which the company says are better at coding and completing complex tasks like working through a spreadsheet or filling out forms.

Anthropic has also been experiencing a spike in attention recently after pushing back against demands from the Pentagon to loosen the guardrails on its AI models, with the company stating publicly that they drew “red lines” around mass surveillance and fully autonomous lethal weapons.

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Why the Microsoft 365 Copilot bug matters for data security

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Why the Microsoft 365 Copilot bug matters for data security

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You trust your email security settings for a reason. So when an AI assistant quietly reads and summarizes messages marked confidential, that trust takes a hit.

Microsoft says a bug in Microsoft 365 Copilot allowed its AI chat feature to process sensitive emails since late January.

The issue bypassed Data Loss Prevention policies that organizations rely on to protect private information. Put simply, emails that were supposed to stay locked down were being summarized anyway.

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Microsoft 365 Copilot’s work chat interface sits at the center of the issue after a bug allowed it to summarize confidential emails. (Microsoft)

Microsoft 365 Copilot bug summarized confidential emails

Microsoft says a coding error impacted Microsoft 365 Copilot Chat, specifically the “work tab” feature. The AI assistant helps business users summarize content, draft responses and analyze information across Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook and OneNote.

Beginning Jan. 21, an internal bug labeled CW1226324 caused Copilot to read and summarize emails stored in Sent Items and Drafts folders.

The real concern runs deeper. Several of those messages carried confidentiality or sensitivity labels.

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Companies apply those labels along with DLP policies to block automated systems from accessing restricted content. Despite those safeguards, Copilot still generated summaries. 

We reached out to Microsoft, and a spokesperson provided CyberGuy with the following statement:

“We identified and addressed an issue where Microsoft 365 Copilot Chat could return content from emails labeled confidential authored by a user and stored within their Draft and Sent Items in Outlook desktop. This did not provide anyone access to information they weren’t already authorized to see. While our access controls and data protection policies remained intact, this behavior did not meet our intended Copilot experience, which is designed to exclude protected content from Copilot access. A configuration update has been deployed worldwide for enterprise customers.” 

Why the Microsoft 365 Copilot bug matters for data security

AI tools feel helpful. They save time and reduce busy work. But they also rely on deep access to your data. When safeguards fail, even temporarily, sensitive content can move in ways you did not expect.

YOUR PHONE SHARES DATA AT NIGHT: HERE’S HOW TO STOP IT

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For businesses, that could mean:

Legal discussions summarized outside intended controls

Financial projections processed despite restrictions

HR communications are exposed to automated analysis

Even if no data leaves the organization, the bypass itself raises concerns about how AI integrates with enterprise security systems.

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Business users rely on Copilot to streamline work, but a recent bug raised concerns about how it handles sensitive email content. (Microsoft)

How Microsoft is fixing the Microsoft 365 Copilot bug

Microsoft says it began rolling out a fix in early February. The company continues to monitor deployment and is contacting some affected users to verify the fix works.

However, Microsoft has not provided a final timeline for full remediation. It has also not disclosed how many organizations were affected.

The issue is tagged as an advisory, which usually signals limited scope or impact. Still, many security professionals will want deeper clarity before feeling comfortable.

What this Microsoft 365 Copilot issue reveals about AI security

This incident highlights something many companies are wrestling with right now. AI assistants sit inside productivity platforms. They need access to email, documents and collaboration tools to work well.

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TIKTOK AFTER THE US SALE: WHAT CHANGED AND HOW TO USE IT SAFELY

At the same time, those platforms contain your most sensitive information. When AI features expand quickly, security policies must evolve just as fast. Otherwise, even a small code mistake can create unexpected exposure.

The Copilot chat feature was designed to boost productivity, yet a code error let it process emails labeled confidential. (Microsoft)

Ways to stay safe after the Microsoft 365 Copilot bug

If your organization uses Microsoft 365 Copilot, here are practical steps to reduce risk:

1) Review Copilot access settings

Work with your IT team to confirm which folders and data sources Copilot can access.

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2) Revalidate DLP policies

Test sensitivity labels and DLP (Data Loss Prevention)  rules to ensure they block AI processing as intended.

3) Monitor advisory updates

Stay current on Microsoft service alerts and verify that the fix is fully deployed in your tenant.

4) Limit AI scope during investigations

If you have concerns, consider temporarily restricting Copilot features until verification is complete.

5) Train employees on AI boundaries

Remind staff that AI assistants can process drafts and send messages. Encourage careful handling of sensitive content.

6) Audit Copilot activity logs

Review audit logs to see whether Copilot accessed or summarized labeled emails. This helps determine actual exposure rather than assumed risk.

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7) Review sensitivity label configuration

Confirm that confidential labels are configured to block AI processing where required. Misconfigured labels can create gaps even after a bug is fixed.

8) Reassess retention and draft policies

Because the issue involved Sent Items and Drafts, evaluate whether sensitive drafts should be stored long-term or deleted after sending.

9) Limit Copilot to specific user groups

Instead of enabling Copilot organization-wide, consider a phased deployment to departments with lower sensitivity exposure.

10) Conduct a post-incident security review

Use this moment to reassess how AI tools integrate with compliance controls. Treat it as a learning opportunity rather than a one-time glitch.

Pro Tip: This Copilot bug centers on enterprise controls. Even so, AI tools operate on your devices and accounts, so keeping software up to date and using strong antivirus software adds an important layer of defense. Get my picks for the best 2026 antivirus protection winners for your Windows, Mac, Android & iOS devices at Cyberguy.com

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Considering a more private email provider

Enterprise AI bugs raise a bigger question: how much access should email platforms have to your data in the first place? If you want an added layer of privacy beyond mainstream providers, privacy-focused email services are worth exploring.

Some offer end-to-end encryption, support for PGP encryption and a strict no-ads business model that avoids scanning messages for marketing purposes.

AI WEARABLE HELPS STROKE SURVIVORS SPEAK AGAIN

Many also allow you to create disposable email aliases, which can reduce spam and limit exposure if one address is compromised.

While no provider is immune to software bugs, choosing an email service built around privacy rather than data monetization can limit how much of your information is accessible to automated systems in the first place.

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For individuals, journalists and small businesses especially, that added control can make a meaningful difference.

For recommendations on private and secure email providers that offer alias addresses, visit Cyberguy.com

Kurt’s key takeaways

AI assistants are becoming part of daily work life. They promise speed, efficiency and smarter workflows. But convenience should never outrun security.

This Copilot bug may have a limited impact. Still, it serves as a reminder that AI tools are only as strong as the guardrails behind them.

When those guardrails slip, even briefly, sensitive information can move in unexpected ways. As AI becomes more embedded in business software, trust will depend on transparency, fast fixes and clear communication.

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Here is the real question: If your AI assistant can see everything you write, are you fully confident it respects every boundary you set? Let us know by writing to us at Cyberguy.com

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Samsung’s Digital Home Key lets you use your phone as your key

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Samsung’s Digital Home Key lets you use your phone as your key

Just days after showing off the Galaxy S26, Samsung is finally rolling out the ability for users to unlock their home with a tap of their phone or by simply approaching their door. The new feature, called Digital Home Key, will live inside Samsung Wallet and is powered by the Aliro smart home standard.

Samsung first teased its Digital Home Key feature in 2024 and said the feature would be available in 2025. That didn’t pan out, as the CSA’s Aliro standard — which will let users unlock smart locks with any phone — only arrived in February of this year. The new standard uses near-field communication (NFC) for its tap-to-unlock technology. It also supports ultra-wideband (UWB), giving users the ability to unlock their door as they approach and without pulling out their phone.

To add a Digital Home Key to your wallet, you’ll need to set up a compatible smart lock through SmartThings using Matter. Only some Galaxy smartphones support both NFC and UWB, including the Galaxy Z Fold 4 and up, as well as the Galaxy S22 Ultra and up. You can view the full list of compatible devices on Samsung’s website.

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