Develop policies around the storage, copying, and disposal of faxes that contain ePHI. Consider locating the fax machine in a secure location and using pass-coded access or an encryption feature to control the information stored on the machine.
Online faxing provides additional security to protect private data and help you stay compliant.
Encryption
Data encryption translates sensitive electronic information into a jumble of symbols that only those with a decryption key can read. This makes it harder to tamper with or steal information.
Many online fax services offer document storage on secure servers accessible only to authorized users with multi-factor authentication or other security measures. Some also offer features like role-based access control, which lets administrators designate different types of roles with differing access levels. Moreover, some fax near me automatically delete documents after the specified retention time is reached to reduce the risk of data exposure.
Unlike email, which is often connected to a company’s corporate network, online fax typically connects to legacy phone lines or an internet connection. This means it’s less likely to become the conduit for a larger attack that targets other systems within the company. This is especially beneficial for industries with strict compliance requirements for handing over client or patient information, such as healthcare. However, it’s important to note that even a centralized fax server with a secure connection can still be compromised if the service provider isn’t careful with its security measures.
Remote Management
A fax system is a more secure option for sending sensitive information than email. It uses a dedicated and private connection, making it harder for hackers to intercept the information they’re trying to capture. It also doesn’t require third-party software or services that can leave the fax vulnerable to hacking.
Fax machines communicate over phone lines, which are more difficult to access than public internet connections. Additionally, faxes send very minimal data, so if a fax machine is breached, it can’t give the bad actor access to other network devices or spread malicious code.
If your organization or company still relies on a traditional fax machine, consider replacing it with an online HIPAA-compliant fax service. Integrating a cloud-based fax solution with your existing processes is easy and can help your team stay organized, efficient, and productive. Plus, it’s much less expensive than buying or renting a new fax machine. You can keep your existing fax number or get new local and toll-free numbers for everyone in your office.
Encryption of Data in Transit
As its name suggests, data in transit is information moving between locations such as email, collaboration platforms, instant messaging apps, or private corporate networks. This information is active and susceptible to attacks and compromises, making it a critical element of any cybersecurity strategy.
Traditional faxing is performed over phone lines, meaning a hacker or other malicious entity could intercept any information transmitted. Online faxing over an encrypted connection keeps sensitive information safe from interception or tampering.
By protecting your information in transit, online faxing can help you adhere to strict privacy regulations like HIPAA and GLBA. That helps protect your clients and customers and builds trust, a key aspect of any business. In the age of digital security breaches, trust is essential to building and retaining a client base. It’s one reason why data encryption in transit isn’t just a best practice for secure faxing, and it’s non-negotiable. Without it, your data is vulnerable to unauthorized access, and you risk losing valuable information, hefty fines and lost customer trust.
Message Tracking
Online faxing is easy to use but still prone to security vulnerabilities like any digital technology. Fortunately, the best modern online fax services combine convenience with robust security measures to protect sensitive documents from malicious threats.
Securing the fax server is the first step in ensuring security for fax transmissions. This includes implementing proper firewall configurations and using a VPN to encrypt internet connections. It is also important to sanitize incoming and outgoing documents of identifying information. This means trimming the sender’s name, number, and address from the document before sending it or deleting this information from the faxed document before printing it.
The next step is deploying robust user authentication and access control features to ensure that only authorized users can send and receive faxes. This should include multi-factor authentication, role-based, and time-based access controls. This makes it harder for criminals to intercept and use faxes in their crimes. It is also helpful to use cloud fax services that offer audit trails and detailed activity logs so businesses can review activity for risk management analysis.
Confirmation Receipts
It’s important to use the phrase “please confirm receipt” when sending documents containing confidential information and to crop the portion of the message containing confidential content before forwarding. This can help you avoid sharing confidential information with unauthorized third parties.
When you send a secure document via fax, it can’t be intercepted or stolen from a fax machine and is impossible to read until it reaches the intended recipient’s hands. This is a huge benefit over email, where hackers easily intercept emails and can be seen by anyone in an office building, neighborhood, city, state, or country.
The reason fax is more secure than email is that faxes communicate through phone lines, which are harder to hack into than public internet connections. Additionally, cybercriminals can only access devices connected to the fax machine if a fax machine is breached. However, if an employee’s email account is compromised, it can lead to a chain of breaches that compromise multiple systems across the company. This is a big reason why many organizations choose to stick with fax.