Seattle-Tacoma Airport Details

Seattle-Tacoma Airport

Seattle, Washington • 22000 employees • Transportation

United States

Industry

Transportation

Security Incidents

Seattle–Tacoma International Airport, commonly referred to as Sea-Tac Airport, is the primary international airport serving the Seattle metropolitan area in Washington, United States. It is operated by the Port of Seattle and serves as a major hub for both domestic and international flights. Sea-Tac was established in 1944 to accommodate the growing demand for air travel during World War II and has since grown to become one of the busiest airports in the U.S.

The airport is known for its extensive range of services, including numerous dining and shopping options, as well as amenities like lou...
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Security Incidents

Seattle-Tacoma Airport Breach of Aug 2024

Severity Score

Moderate to Significant

Type

Ransomware Attack

Summary

On August 24, 2024, the Port of Seattle, which oversees operations at the Seattle-Tacoma International Airport (SEA), experienced a cyberattack that disrupted several critical services. The attack impacted essential systems including websites, email, and phone services, significantly hindering communication and operations. This led to confusion and network outages, particularly affecting airport functionalities such as baggage handling, check-in kiosks, and ticketing.

Airlines were forced to manually sort baggage, with Alaska Airlines handling over 7,000 bags manually, and utilized handwritte...
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Severity

The cyberattack on the Port of Seattle on August 24, 2024, significantly disrupted several critical systems at the Seattle-Tacoma International Airport (SEA). Although there was no confirmed data breach or ransomware attack, the incident caused a substantial operational impact, bringing down websites, email, and phone services, which led to manual processing of over 7,000 bags and handwritten boarding passes. Major airline schedules largely remained intact, but certain airlines, like Sun Country Airlines, faced notable delays.

There was no apparent exposure of customer data, theft of internal...
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Impact

The cyberattack on the Port of Seattle on August 24, 2024, was a serious incident that disrupted several critical systems at the Seattle-Tacoma International Airport (SEA). While it wasn't a confirmed data breach or ransomware attack, the disruption significantly impacted communication and operations, bringing down websites, email, and phone services.

Customer data exposure was not explicitly reported, but operational disruptions affected passenger experience, including manual processing of over 7,000 bags and handwritten boarding passes. Despite the challenges, major airline schedules remain...
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