b'44 SEA INFO TECHNOLOGYManaging the Message airports X (n Twitter) feed for information during big events. As cell Technology troubles notwithstanding, determining what to sayservice allowed, staff relayed information to Lampert, which she then about the incident and when to say it added even more challenges. posted on SEAs social platforms for the general public. Chris Guizlo, the Ports director of ExternalPrior training on the National Incident Management System Relations and Communications, was SEAs(NIMS) made the Ports communications crew comfortable working on-call media responder the weekend of theclosely with the events incident commander using an Emergency attack. Around 3 a.m. on Aug. 24, GuizloOperations Center setup. The teams first-day messaging focused on was alerted that systems were down andthe customer impact, noting which airlines were or were not affected, passengers had no internet access. Heproviding information about TSA checkpoint lines and affirming that quickly reported to the airport where thingsshops and restaurants were still open.soon went from normal to cascading asCHRIS GUIZLO The situation became more critical on Sunday due to a heavier more outbound flights couldnt access SEAsschedule of international arrivals. These carriers, which use common-use systems.common-use systems, had lost their ability to electronically check Providing updates was initially difficult due to the lack of emailin passengers or to print tags for checked baggage. Delays service, internet access and other common tools. Guizlo andensued immediately.team could only use their cellphones to communicate, and theAviation Managing Director Lance Lyttle, then SEAs top official, system they needed to operate was overloaded by customer useheld a press conference that afternoon alongside local TSA and due to lack of onsite Wi-Fi. Customs and Border Protection leaders. Each stressed that But there was one ace in the hole: Socialsafety and security were not compromised by the incident and Media Program Manager Abbey Lampert wasacknowledged that there would be temporary inconveniences. logged into the Ports and SEAs social mediaThat took down the temperature quite a bit, Guizlo recalls.channels from her home, where she hadStill, he and his communications team walked a fine line functional Wi-Fi. over the next few days. They needed to provide travelers with We used that as our vehicle to get ourimportant information without sparking speculation into what updates out, Guizlo explains, adding that localhad caused SEAs problems. Admitting there was a cyberattack media had previously been trained to check theABBEY LAMPERT prematurely would have affected the ongoing investigation, and perhaps encouraged other bad actors to strike similarly, Breed explains.It wasnt until Sept. 13nearly three weeks laterthat the Port publicly confirmed an intense examination had concluded the outages were consistent with a cyberattack.People (then) gave us a little bit of understanding because theyve seen that happen to other organizations, says Guizlo of the eventual public acknowledgement. Where to Start?Prioritizing functions was paramount during the recovery effort, with longer-term items being set aside for operational needs, as directed by executive management. Although the Port had continuity of operations plans (COOPs) already in place, implementing them revealed somebig surprises.Printers emerged as an unexpected core need, particularly to create signage for travelers while most of the digital displays were not functional. Being able to print was huge, and the fact that the organization was so dependent on that was shocking, in retrospect, Breed notes.January | February 2026AirportImprovement.com'