The online faxing industry has been steadily growing in the last few years. It’s now possible to send and receive documents via digital fax without ever having to print or scan a single page. This is good news for companies that need to send time-sensitive documents without the hassle of using traditional fax machines.
However, is online fax service secure when done online? This is a valid concern when it comes to sending sensitive information over the internet. You may wonder if documents sent through fax apps or software are safe from the prying eyes of cyber attackers.
Fortunately, there are ways to send secure fax online. You can make use of a unique fax number provided by online fax services, thereby ensuring the secure transmission of your documents. With advancements in technology, many cloud faxing solutions are now offering top-notch security measures such as data encryption and secure storage. This blog post will explore how safe online faxing is and how to choose the best online fax service for your business.
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How Secure Is Traditional Faxing?
Fax machines use analog lines to transmit documents. Previously, faxing was considered a safer way of sending important messages. After all, it’s easier to misplace or steal a posted letter, while telephone calls can be overheard or forgotten. That’s why businesses invested heavily in fax technology, especially those in the financial, medical, and legal sectors.
However, faxes sent or transmitted using analog lines still have certain security vulnerabilities. Since fax transmissions via phone lines aren’t encrypted, the information can be easily stolen or intercepted. Unencrypted electronic information often leads to data loss, privacy breaches, and even fraud.
Furthermore, printed fax copies are highly susceptible to unauthorized access. If a machine is left unattended, anyone can walk in and grab a fax printout. This is a challenge that many fax providers have aimed to address with the introduction of digital faxing.
In comparison to traditional methods, online faxing has proven to be a more secure alternative. Fax service providers have incorporated security measures like encryption and secure storage to prevent unauthorized access. There is also a higher risk of non-compliance with privacy laws and regulations like GLBA and HIPAA.
How Can You Safely Fax Information?
Safeguarding sensitive information when faxing documents online is a top priority. Faxing the traditional way often puts documents at risk. Hard copies can be lost, stolen, or improperly discarded. Your conventional fax machine may not be hackable, but its lack of encryption, audit trails, and access controls makes it far less secure.
A better way to fax sensitive information would be to look for a secure online fax service.
Is My Privacy Protected When Using Online Fax?
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 on 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.
Fax apps and cloud faxing solutions have taken privacy and security to a new level. With these modern methods, 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 about anyone getting unauthorized access to your information.
Is Online Fax More Secure Than Email?
Is online faxing safer than sending an email? To a certain extent, yes. Most online fax services use advanced end-to-end encryption. This level of encryption is secure enough to protect sensitive data during and after transmission. Emails, however, are inferior in terms of security because most do not employ 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 have minimal protection. Email is more vulnerable to hacking and other cyber attacks.
Human behavior also plays a factor in why an email is not as secure as a fax. For example, you can accidentally forward an email to the wrong recipient. You also have no control over how the recipient uses your email message.
In contrast, 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.
Secure Online Faxing: Is There a Way to Fax Documents Online Securely?
Absolutely. Faxing documents online is more secure than using traditional fax machines. Many online fax services offer features and solutions for optimal data security and privacy protection.
When faxing sensitive documents online, choosing a secure and trusted online fax service offering robust security features is strongly recommended.
Look for a fax service that offers:
Secure fax transmissions
Faxes are transmitted over encrypted channels using protocols like SSL or TLS, ensuring secure information transfers. Every transmission is safeguarded end-to-end between sender and recipient, preventing interception or tampering by unauthorized parties.
Encryption and compliance
Fax documents are encrypted in transit and at rest using industry-standard encryption (e.g., AES-256). Reputable fax services like iFax comply with HIPAA regulations, SOX, GLBA, and GDPR to meet industry-specific security standards. Compliance ensures organizations handle sensitive information securely and lawfully.
256-bit encryption
Secure online fax services deploy 256-bit AES encryption for fax transmission. This type of encryption has a larger key size, providing better protection against brute-force attacks. An online fax service with 256-bit AES encryption securely stores your fax on the provider’s servers during transmission. Only you will retain access to the file, ensuring complete privacy after successful fax delivery.
Secure cloud storage
The secure online fax service must offer accessible fax storage in encrypted, access-controlled cloud environments, using redundancy and backup protocols. Only authorized users can access stored files, reducing data breach risks. This setup ensures safe, long-term document retention without compromising privacy.
User access controls
Administrators can allow or restrict access based on user roles, departments, or specific fax actions. Access controls prevent unauthorized fax viewing, downloading, editing, and sending. Granular permissions help maintain confidentiality across teams.
User authentication
Authentication measures are critical in helping block unauthorized logins. Secure fax platforms use multi-factor authentication (MFA), strong passwords, and session controls to verify user identity. Doing so ensures only verified users can access sensitive fax data.
Audit logs and delivery confirmations
Secure online faxing systems automatically log every fax sent or received, including timestamps, user actions, and delivery statuses. These logs create a verifiable trail for audits and regulatory reporting. Real-time delivery confirmations ensure accountability and successful transmission tracking.
Additional security features
Some platforms offer advanced features, such as electronic signatures for document validation, fax automation, and integration with platforms like Google Workspace, Salesforce, and HubSpot. Smart fax routing ensures faxes reach the proper recipients without manual handling. Single Sign-On (SSO) adds an extra layer of security and convenience in enterprise environments.
How to Know if an Online Fax Service Is Secure
How is sending fax via the internet any better than traditional fax? The answer usually depends on what type of online fax service you are using. When sending faxes via the Internet, you should search for an online fax service that encrypts all data, including images.
You need to find out if the online fax provider complies with international and federal standards for data privacy. For example, if you are faxing documents containing patient records, make sure that your service provider is HIPAA compliant.
Also, 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.
The Safest Online Fax Service
If you have trouble choosing, consider iFax. It 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.
Start faxing today. Sign up for an account and explore its affordable pricing plans with no hidden charges.
