by Vee Hua 華婷婷
The Seattle-Tacoma International Airport experienced isolated but impactful incidents of internet outages and web issues on Saturday, Aug. 24, following what the Port of Seattle called a "possible cyberattack" that affected "isolated critical systems." The Port of Seattle first posted the news on X on Saturday morning and urged passengers to reach out directly to their airlines for their flight status.
By Sunday, the Port of Seattle still had not given a sense of how long it would take to recover its systems, but a number of the Port of Seattle's websites remained down. In-terminal screens were also facing challenges, and the Port of Seattle once again instructed passengers to speak with airlines about their gate information.
Both Alaska Airlines and Delta Airlines — which use Sea-Tac as a major hub — reported that they did not experience delays for their flights. The potential cyberattack did, however, affect the Port of Seattle's baggage-sorting system. On Sunday, Alaska Airlines suggested its customers pack light and avoid checking bags where possible, as it was unsure when the systems would return to normal functionality.
Tracking via FlightAware shows that a number of flights were delayed or canceled on Saturday and Sunday, though the exact cause of the cancellations and delays are unknown. It is not clear whether they were affected by the potential cyberattack.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation, which often reviews such cyberattacks, gave The Seattle Times a statement on Sunday, saying, "We are aware of the incident and working with our partners to determine what happened. That is all of the information we can provide."
The incident at the airport comes just six months after the Biden administration announced an Executive Order to bolster cybersecurity efforts at U.S. ports nationwide. It also comes less than one month after an erroneous software update by the company CrowdStrike resulted in massive problems in Windows computers nationwide, including delays with several airlines, such as Delta.
Early on Friday morning, Aug. 23, a three-alarm fire near Genesee Park in the Mount Baker neighborhood resulted in the destruction of a home construction site and subsequent evacuation of two nearby homes. The Seattle Fire Department's (SFD) Fire Alarm Center first received 911 calls about the incident at 4:42 a.m.
The destruction of the construction site resulted in gelled powerlines, and eventually, according to the SFD, the incident was upgraded "to a 3-alarm fire where 13 engines, seven ladder trucks along with command and support units responded, totaling over a hundred Seattle Fire personnel."
The fire was eventually declared under control by 6:07 a.m. The cause of the fire is still under investigation. Nobody was injured, and residents from evacuated homes sought shelter with their friends and family.
On Aug. 27, the Black Future Co-op Fund will be hosting a free livestream panel centered around the theme of "Afrofuturism in Philanthropy." Throughout the panel, a number of Black leaders will discuss Afrofuturist ideas and principles to promote Black generational wealth, well-being, and justice.
The event is a part of Black Philanthropy Month, which takes place in Washington State and worldwide. The month is dedicated to encouraging investments in Black organizations and communities. In their press release, the livestream organizers shared some of the background that led to the event:
Panelists will include:
The "Afrofuturism in Philanthropy" livestream takes place on Tuesday, Aug. 27, from 1 to 2:30 p.m. Register and learn more at the Black Future Co-op Fund webpage.
Vee Hua 華婷婷 (they/them) is a writer, filmmaker, and organizer with semi-nomadic tendencies. Much of their work unifies their metaphysical interests with their belief that art can positively transform the self and society. They are the editor-in-chief of REDEFINE, a long-time member of the Seattle Arts Commission, and a film educator at the interdisciplinary community hub, Northwest Film Forum, where they previously served as executive director and played a key role in making the space more welcoming and accessible for diverse audiences. After a recent stint as the interim managing editor at South Seattle Emerald, they are moving into production on their feature film, Reckless Spirits, which is a metaphysical, multilingual POC buddy comedy. They have a master's in Tribal Resource and Environmental Stewardship under the American Indian Studies Department at the University of Minnesota, Duluth.
📸 Featured Image: Seattle-Tacoma International Airport, SeaTac, Washington, as seen from the air. (Photo: Joe Mabel, under a Creative Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0 license)
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