Is Online Fax Secure in 2024? All You Need to Know

Many businesses aim to increase their productivity. When team members can perform their tasks more efficiently, that opens up new opportunities and empowers new business growth.

In 2023 alone, workplace productivity in the United States climbed by 5.4%. Although this percentage may seem like a small increase at first glance, it’s significant since productivity growth hasn’t increased more than 1.5% in a single year since 2004, surpassing the 2.9% pace seen during the last productivity surge in the 1990s. This increase in productivity is good news for many businesses, and the right technology is necessary to help them stay the course.

What can organizations like yours do to keep pace? Online faxing is an essential productivity-boosting tool that can help you increase efficiency and spark growth. But many people wonder about the security of online faxing. You might be surprised to learn that online faxing is one of the most secure forms of communication available today.

Here’s what you need to know about online fax security to make the best decision.

Can You Trust Online Fax Services?

While online faxing has become increasingly popular over the past few years, some people are still hesitant to use it because they’re unsure if it’s secure. We have answers. 

You can trust the safest online fax service, but it’s essential to choose an encrypted file-sharing service to protect your sensitive data. You should look for a service that offers AES 256-bit encryption, the highest encryption standard available.

With AES 256-bit encryption, both you and the fax server have a copy of the fax as you transmit using the internet. For faxes sent to you, once you receive the file, you’re the only person who can access it.

How Secure Are Online Fax Services?

If you’re using a traditional fax machine, you put any information you send at risk. Conventional fax machines use analog phone lines to send information, which has no encryption. They’re highly susceptible to data theft for this reason. If you risk sending a fax using a phone line, you could lose data and revenue and expose your company to fraud. 

Conversely, eFax Protect uses encryption technology that scrambles sensitive data and keeps it secured. The technology makes it harder for hackers to tamper with or steal your information. This is especially vital since your clients and partners expect you to protect their data at all times in today’s environment.

Plus, you can never guarantee your fax won’t fall into the wrong hands when it reaches its destination. Often, faxes sit on unattended fax machines, and anyone can pick them up. This can lead to a major breach of trust or compromised data. 

However, online faxes aren’t as vulnerable to unauthorized access. An unauthorized party will only find scrambled information if they try to access your fax. It’s impossible to decipher this information without a data decryption key. Only those with the decryption key can access the original message.

How to Securely Transfer Files over the Internet

If you want to know how to send a file securely, the answer is simple. You need to invest in a secure online fax service.

You must find a service with enough features to meet your needs. With secure file-sharing online solutions from eFax, you’ll feel at ease knowing your communications are safe and sound and your faxing solution can meet your demands.

How to Send Documents Securely over the Internet 

With online faxing, you can fax from tools you use every day, like your computer or smartphone. With either of these devices and eFax, you have everything you need to send a fax immediately. eFax allows you to send your fax using email or eFax Messenger.

You can compose and edit your fax and send it by email. You can then receive a response and sign documents using your mobile device.

How to Send Files Securely via Email

A secure online fax service provides military-grade, end-to-end encryption. You can send faxes using well-known email services like Outlook, Gmail, or Yahoo. You can also use your custom domain to send faxes with eFax. 

You can follow this simple process any time you need to send secure info over the internet:

Step 1: Enter the recipient’s number followed by “@efaxsend.com” in the “To” field.

Step 2: Add up to ten attachments.

Step 3: Click “Send Fax.”

The recipient will then receive your fax on their machine. For them, the process is just like receiving landline-based faxes.

How to Send Faxes from Your Desktop

You can send a fax from your desktop by downloading eFax Messenger Software. It works with both Windows and iOS. 

The steps for sending a fax from your desktop are as follows:

Step 1: Open eFax Messenger and log in.

Step 2: Go to the “File” menu and click “Create New Fax.”

Step 3: Select your recipient’s number from your contacts or enter it manually.

Step 4: Add up to ten attachments.

Step 5: Click “Send Fax.”

Your document(s) will arrive at your recipient’s fax machine.

How to Send Faxes from Mobile

eFax Mobile is available for both Android and iOS devices. You can download our official app on Google Play or the Apple App Store. 

Here’s how to send a fax using your mobile device:

Step 1: Open the eFax app and tap “View Faxes.”

Step 2: You can add your signature by tapping “Sign Faxes.”

Step 3: Save your signed fax.

Step 4: Tap “Send Faxes.”

Step 5: Choose your recipient.

The recipient will receive your document just as with faxes that originate from a landline.

Is Fax Secure for Sensitive Data?

Today’s professionals are tech-savvy. And many professionals need to handle sensitive information, including trade secrets, financial details, or private employee or client information. Security is always a top priority. Any compromised data can cause many unwanted consequences, including lost revenues, prolonged downtimes, breaches of customer trust, and reputational damage.

Using a traditional fax machine is far less secure, and malicious actors can gain access to sensitive information. If you want to send secure info over the internet, it’s much safer to use an online fax service.

Does Online Faxing Meet Mandated Security Standards?

An online fax service will enable you to comply with regulations such as the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA). The Graham-Leach Bliley Act (GLBA), or others. HIPAA rules safeguard personal health information, while GLBA requires that financial institutions protect their customers’ private data.

Suppose you handle this kind of sensitive information. In that case, you must ensure your online fax service meets regulatory HIPAA or GLBA compliance standards for all the vital work you can do with online faxing. At eFax, our online fax software empowers you to comply with these and other regulatory mandates or industry standards. You can rest assured that any confidential information you share stays protected.

Is It Safe to Fax Personal Information?

What if you’re not sending faxes for professional purposes? Many of us need to fax private information for various reasons, such as insurance claims or loan processing. No matter the intent, your best bet is to use a secure online fax service. 

With eFax, you can trust that your personal information stays encrypted throughout the entire transmission. You’ll never need to fret about your private data falling into the hands of bad actors.

Is Online Fax Safer Than Email?

A premium online fax service is more secure than standard email. Email passes through several networks and servers as it travels from the sender to the recipient. Every link in the network is a point of weakness. These points are vulnerabilities where hackers can intercept your faxes. This cyber theft tactic is called a middleman attack.

The answer is simple if you want to know how to send a file securely. Invest in a secure online fax service, like eFax.

Why Online Faxing Is the Most Secure Way to Exchange Information 

When you trust a leader like eFax, you get eFax Secure. It’s perfect for protecting sensitive and confidential files or forms.

eFax Protect uses 256-bit AES and Transport Layer Security (TLS) encryption, the highest encryption standards available. Our service lives on Tier-3 secure servers, protecting your data 24 hours a day, seven days a week. We also use the Secure Socket Layer (SSL) protocol to keep your faxes secure around the clock. HIPAA, GLBA, PCI, and SOC compliance with full data encryption.

What Is the Safest File Sharing Site?

eFax is the most secure way to transfer files. With eFax, all your faxes remain private and confidential. We’ll provide you with your own safe, personal email inbox.

Our servers have nearly 100% uptime. For this reason, you’re assured of secure, encrypted delivery of all your essential fax communications. eFax is the clear choice for secure sharing of documents and files. 

eFax Protect: A Scalable, Secure, and Reliable Cloud Fax Solution

eFax Protect not only conforms to strict standards for security and compliance across multiple industries, keeping you and your client’s data secure, but keeps your data safe, secure, and confidential with 256-bit AES encryption and multi-DID support, which allows you to manage multiple lines with a single account.

With uncompromised safety and unrivaled convenience, eFax Protect offers built-in price breaks for high volume usage, with the flexibility to combine inbound and outbound faxing.

Learn just how secure eFax is for yourself. Get started with secure online faxing today!