Is online fax secure? The online faxing industry has been steadily growing for the last few years. It’s no surprise that with all of the new technologies in place, it is now possible to send and receive documents via email or web browsers without ever having to print, scan or fax them. This is great news for professionals who want access to their documents whenever they need them. However, there are security concerns when sending sensitive information over the internet.
While online faxing offers the convenience and flexibility you need, others might be wondering if the documents they send through these fax apps or software are safe from the prying eyes of cyber attackers. So, is online fax secure? This blog post will explore the key points of what you need to know about how safe these online fax services are and if they are the right tools for your business.
Table of Contents
- Is Faxing Secure?
- Are Fax Machines Secure?
- Are Fax Secure: How Secure Are Faxes?
- Is Faxing Sensitive Information Safe?
- Is Online Faxing Secure: How Do I Know if I’m Using a Secure Online Faxing Service?
- Is My Privacy Secured When Sending and Receiving Faxes Online?
- Is Online Fax More Secure Than Email?
- How Do I Send Secure Fax Online?
- Online Fax Security: Are Faxes Encrypted?
- Is Online Faxing Secure With the Use of Secure Sockets Layer (SSL)?
- Secure Online Faxing: Using Two-Factor Authentication
- Is Online Fax Secure With the Use of HIPAA Compliant Fax Software or App?
- The Safest Online Fax Service
- Final Thoughts
Is Faxing Secure?
Is faxing secure? Faxing, in the traditional sense, poses a lot of security vulnerabilities. Since fax transmissions via phone lines aren’t encrypted, the information can be easily stolen or intercepted. Furthermore, printed fax copies are highly susceptible to unauthorized access. There is also a higher risk of non-compliance with privacy laws and regulations like GLBA and HIPAA.
Are Fax Machines Secure?
Fax machines use analog lines to fax documents. Faxes sent or transmitted using analog lines aren’t encrypted and are highly susceptible to data theft. Unencrypted electronic information often leads to data loss, revenue loss, and even fraud. Without proper security and encryption, anyone can easily take hold of any sensitive or confidential fax information.
Are Fax Secure: How Secure Are Faxes?
In truth, faxing is just as vulnerable as any unencrypted data. Without proper security measures imposed, fax records are highly exposed and susceptible to any form of breach. To keep your faxes secure and safe, you need to implement data security measures to keep your fax machine secured and your fax records safe.
Is Faxing Sensitive Information Safe?
When it comes to faxing, safeguarding sensitive information is a top priority. If you are faxing the traditional way, you need to practice precaution at all times. Your old-school fax machine may not be hackable. However, there are ways to exploit it to gain access to confidential information. If you want a better way to fax sensitive information, you can consider online fax as a more secure solution.
Is online fax secure? How is it any better than traditional fax? The answer usually depends on what type of online fax service you are using. If you need to fax confidential documents or medical records, you need to use a secure online faxing service with the highest level of encryption to date.
There’s also the matter of compliance. If you are faxing documents containing patient information, make sure that your online faxing service is HIPAA compliant.
Is Online Fax Secure: How Do I Know if I’m Using a Secure Online Faxing Service?
When sending faxes via the Internet, you should search for an online fax service that encrypts all data, including images, to ensure their safety. You will also want to check the companies’ privacy policies to ensure they are reputable. Some of these providers use third-party companies for their website hosting, which provides another layer of protection because several IT firms specialize in robust and secure management.
Here are some things you should check for additional layers of security so you would stop asking the question, ‘Is online fax secure?’
Is My Privacy Secured When Sending and Receiving Faxes Online?
Is online fax secure enough to protect your privacy online? Yes, your privacy is completely secured when you use an online fax service to send documents worldwide. This type of secure communication does not rely on phone lines but digital networks through which data are transmitted in packets using standard internet protocols (TCPIP). As these packets cross international boundaries, they are encrypted using additional protocols to ensure maximum privacy.
When it comes to receiving faxes, all files are stored locally on your device until you have access to them. There is no need for any online fax service provider to retain the original document after it has been received and successfully downloaded by its intended recipient.
These online fax providers only keep a copy of the file in their servers if you need to send or download it as long as necessary. Some services even delete the file immediately after you download it through an app or web browser. So, you don’t need to worry as to whether online faxing is secure or not.
Is Online Fax More Secure Than Email?
Is online fax secure? Is it more secure than sending an email? To a certain extent, yes. Most online fax services use an advanced level of end-to-end encryption. This level of encryption is secure enough to protect sensitive data during and after transmission. Emails, however, are more inferior in terms of security because most email services do not use end-to-end encryption.
While there are ways to encrypt emails, it’s usually up to the user. Simply put, the emails stored in your inbox aren’t encrypted. Meanwhile, if you’re using an online fax service that uses military-grade end-to-end encryption, all your faxes are encrypted. Even if the messages get leaked or stolen, it would be difficult for unauthorized people to decrypt them.
How Do I Send Secure Fax Online?
If you want to send faxes securely, the best option would be to look for a secure online faxing solution. Note that all online faxing services are fully capable of handling sensitive documents. You need to find one that truly fits your needs. With a secure online faxing solution, you will feel more at ease knowing that your faxes are safe and less susceptible to cyber threats.
To send secure fax online, you can use an online faxing service like iFax. With iFax, all your fax transmissions are secured with 256-bit AES encryption. It’s the highest level of encryption to date!
Online Fax Security: Are Faxes Encrypted?
Is online fax secure? The answer depends on many factors such as the type of encryption being used. Premium online fax services deploy 256-bit AES encryption for fax transmission. It’s the next generation of 128-bit encryption, which was quite susceptible after a slew of security breaches were found in 2015, including passwords and users’ personal information. The 256-bit AES encryption has a larger key size, providing better resistance against brute force attacks.
An encrypted connection ensures that you and your recipient are the only people to see your sensitive data in transit. When you use an online fax service with 256-bit AES encryption, you, the recipient, and the fax provider’s servers hold a copy of your file while it’s being transmitted over the internet. Once it’s received, you become the only person holding access to this file.
Typically, online fax providers delete it from their servers as soon as you download, share or print it. But others allow their users to do it manually, giving you complete control of the faxes sent online. Therefore, when you use this method, the online faxing service is secure.
Is Online Faxing Secure With the Use of Secure Sockets Layer (SSL)?
The use of SSL (Secure Sockets Layer) is another important consideration when choosing to send documents via an online fax service. This security protocol ensures that any data passed between two systems remains private. It encrypts the data to ensure that only authorized parties can view it.
SSL requires both parties (the person sending and receiving the document) to be authenticated, which means the sender and recipient’s identities must be verified.
Check if the online fax service website uses HTTPS (Hypertext Transfer Protocol Secure) technology, which provides an extra layer of security when browsing their website via SSL encryption. Remember that an unsecured website will only display HTTP in the URL bar and not https:// – If you see this, enter at your own risk.
Secure Online Faxing: Using Two-Factor Authentication
One key factor that helps answer the question “is online fax secure” is two-factor authentication. Two-factor authentication adds another layer of security when logging in to your online fax account via an app or web browser. It’s highly recommended for all online fax services. You can usually set up a code generator, so it works independently without additional apps or add-ons. The key is to have something in your possession that will generate a random code, making it even harder for cybercriminals to crack.
It’s useful whenever you log in to your online fax service account on multiple devices. You either receive a random code via email, SMS, or phone call. This capability will keep all other devices and computers linked under one username and password, making it hard for attackers to log in since they need that unique code to access your account.
Is Online Faxing Secure With the Use of HIPAA Compliant Fax Software or App?
Is online fax secure enough as long as it has HIPAA compliance? HIPAA Compliance refers to the privacy laws that are enforced in healthcare institutions. The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act, also known as HIPAA, sets out measures for protecting the personal information of anyone who is medical insurance, healthcare, medicine, and related sectors. It includes steps for reporting any breaches of in-patient data or unauthorized access to this data.
It’s crucial to protect documents containing sensitive patient information from being accessed without authorization because they can lead to fines, penalties, and even jail time if one is found guilty of breaching these privacy rules. Faxes containing PHI (Protected Health Information) must be sent over secure channels to ensure maximum privacy when sending these documents outside an institution’s walls.
The online fax service provider should have a HIPAA-compliant software or fax app that will cater to the faxing needs of healthcare professionals, doctors, and other individuals in the medical and healthcare sectors.
The Safest Online Fax Service
In an attempt to answer the question, “is online fax secure?” you would have to consider multiple factors concerning data security. The good news is you can free yourself from all these hassles. All you need is a reliable online fax service that’s proven safe, secure, and trusted by many users. By choosing the safest online fax service, you can fax without worrying about the privacy and security of your documents.
If you have trouble choosing, consider iFax! It’s one of today’s safest online fax services.
Is iFax Safe?
iFax is a safe, secure, and reliable online fax service that uses military-grade 256-bit end-to-end encryption to safeguard all fax transmissions. It’s also fully compliant with HIPAA and GLBA, meeting all the requirements for ensuring data protection. With iFax, your sensitive information is safe from any possible threat that could lead to data vulnerability and exploits.
Final Thoughts: Is Online Fax Secure?
There are much confusion and misinformation about the safety of faxing online. We hope this post has helped clear some things up for you and answered the question, “Is online fax secure?” If the key points mentioned above are present, then the online faxing service you are using is secure.
Are you in need of a secure online faxing service? Use iFax!
iFax uses state-of-the-art security to safeguard your faxes from any possible cyber threat. Start faxing today! Sign up for an account and explore its affordable pricing plans with no hidden charges.
