
What actually keeps a faxed document safe, and the specific safeguards a secure fax service puts in place for sensitive files.
Secure fax refers to a fax sent and stored through a fax service provider that protects the document itself, typically by encrypting it wherever it's stored. It's a step up from a traditional fax machine, which stores and transmits a document as unencrypted analog tones and paper, with no protection at all.
Fax.Plus encrypts all stored files, including faxed and signed documents, using 256-bit Advanced Encryption Standard (AES). Each user also gets unique encryption keys, so one account's documents aren't protected by the same key as another's. This applies to documents sent through an internet fax service like Fax.Plus as much as it does to anything routed through a fax gateway. For the fuller picture of what's protected and what isn't, see is fax secure to fax personal information.
A Common Case: Faxing Lab Results
A billing team at a mid-size healthcare provider in Texas sends lab results to an insurance company and wants to know the document can't be read by anyone who shouldn't have access to it, plus a delivery confirmation for their records. A secure fax setup covers the first part directly: the file stays encrypted with a key unique to that account for as long as it's stored, and a confirmation report closes the loop once the fax is delivered.
A secure fax service like Fax.Plus encrypts every stored document with 256-bit AES, which most standard email doesn't do by default. The comparison depends heavily on which email setup is in question.
Yes, with a provider like Fax.Plus. Every stored file, including faxed documents, is encrypted using 256-bit AES, and each user has their own unique encryption key.
