Fax Machine Risks Prompting the Switch to Online FaxingFax Machine Risks Prompting the Switch to Online Faxing
For many years, businesses and other users have been faxing using the fax machine, and it has been a reliable mode of sharing documents and communicating. Unfortunately, the fax machine poses some significant threats to the security of the data. The risks could have severe implications for the business. And in a bid to mitigate these risks and enjoy more convenience, most users are switching to online faxing. Luckily, online faxing is not a complicated thing to master, and anyone can quickly learn how to send fax from Gmail and start doing it. That way, the user will enjoy great convenience and avoid the risks associated with traditional faxing using the fax machine.
Below are some of the fax machine risks that are necessitating the change to online faxing:
Loss of Documents With Sensitive Information
The fax machine produces the message or shared documents in printouts that make voluminous paper files. Unfortunately, hard copies are highly vulnerable to loss, theft, misplacement, and other things that can have them end in the wrong hands. People with malicious intentions can snatch up crucial printouts without their owners noticing. Moreover, at this time and age of digitization of data, fax machines are among the few devices that produce hard copy documents containing crucial information. Users may also blame fax machine for the continuous menace associated with information leakage.
Use of Vulnerable Technology
Although the latest fax machines may seem more advanced and better than those used several decades ago, the technology is pretty much the same. They use the same transmission protocols used to send faxes years ago, which are outdated and make data leakage a big problem. The hackers have mastered how to gain unauthorized access to these old systems and get crucial information so quickly. Besides, hackers also exploit the various loopholes by bypassing security measures safeguarding hardware to get into the IT network using the connected fax machine.
Uses Analogue Line With No Data Encryption
The technology behind the fax machines communication uses analog lines. Unfortunately, the technology is fast becoming obsolete due to the ISDN switch-off. The analog line’s most significant downside is that it does support data encryption, so all data sent through it is not encrypted. As such, any person who can access your line could easily hijack or get the content of your information. Due to this, fax machine communication is highly exposed to direct data theft and local invasions.…