The disks contained information that had been scanned from paper I.D. forms -- applications for airport badges from employees of the port, the airlines, concessions and other Sea-Tac employers -- and were from the Airport I.D. Badging office. Some of the names on the disk may be of former employees.
Airport director Mark Reis said he had no reason to believe the information had been misused, but he also did not know if the disks were simply misplaced or stolen outright. Reis said the information -- including name, date of birth, address, social security and driver's license numbers -- could not be used to actually make an airport worker badge.
"There's nothing on here that constitutes a physical breach of airport security," said Reis, whose own information was taken as well. "This is the application data."
Other things necessary to make a badge, which Reis said were not contained on the disk, include the badge's physical appearance, a magnetic stripe and a proximity chip in the badge that is programmed when the badge is issued, a pin number that matches the badge, and a fingerprint identification.
After learning of the missing disks on Sept. 18 and the ensuing investigation, the port sent letters via snail mail on Monday to all of the people with names on the disks, which are from dates ranging between 2001 to early this year.
People who receive a letter should contact their financial and credit institutions if anything suspicious occurs with their personal financial information.
However, the port will not be sending e-mails, so beware any hoax e-mail asking for identity verification, authorities say.
The port has information on its Web site, www.portseattle.org, and has a toll-free hotline at 1-888-902-PORT.