Need Advice for Secure (end to end) Faxing

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[Tex265]

I’m looking to cut the cord on my HP all in one printer/fax with an on-line faxing service.

However, I still have need to send faxes several times a month which contain information that would need to be kept secure/encrypted upon leaving my computer and to its end point.  That also means no local ISP capture.

I would also like the ability to delete any third party storage at-will, have limited storage time, or have no third party storage at all to eliminate any server hacking concerns.

I have also been told a reputable VPN service would be advisable.

Does anyone have a company/service to recommend?

Windows 11 Pro v24H2 and Windows 10 Pro x64 v22H2

• This topic was modified 1 year, 1 month ago by Tex265.

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[Kathy Stevens]

ProtonVPN for FAX via internet traffic.

USRobotics 56K V.92 USB Soft Modem to fax via phone line.

• This reply was modified 1 year, 1 month ago by Kathy Stevens.

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56K* USB DIAL-UP EXTERNAL SOFTMODEM  https://www.usr.com/products/56k-dialup-modem/usr5639/

 

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Kathy Stevens wrote:

56K* USB DIAL-UP EXTERNAL SOFTMODEM

This looks interesting, but I’m confused how it works and can’t locate a simple connection/instruction manual.

I see the USB connector (to the computer I suppose), but there also appears to be a phone line connector.  I want to eliminate my voip phone line, so how would this connect and work?

Windows 11 Pro v24H2 and Windows 10 Pro x64 v22H2

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The USB DIAL-UP EXTERNAL SOFTMODEM has a standard telephone plug to connect the computer to the telephone wiring inside a building thereby establishing a connection to the telephone network.

Ours connects to a voip modem but it can be used to connect to a traditional hardwired telephone system.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Telephone_jack_and_plug

You will need an extension cord to reach from the softmodem to the wall plug.

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Tex265

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Kathy Stevens wrote:

The USB DIAL-UP EXTERNAL SOFTMODEM has a standard telephone plug to connect the computer to the telephone wiring inside a building thereby establishing a connection to the telephone network.

Hmmm, my home is pre-wired internally with wall phone jacks for phone service, but the only outside phone service connection I have is through the AT&T modem.  I assume when/if I cancel the AT&T phone service that AT&T is going to prevent modem from providing phone service – right?  If so, I will have no direct phone line to a telephone network so this would not be viable – right?

There is no hardwire phone service in the ground available in our new-ish neighborhood. Which now makes me wonder by what pathway(s) my current faxes travel out of the HP all in one thru voip?!

Windows 11 Pro v24H2 and Windows 10 Pro x64 v22H2

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Tex265 wrote:

Which now makes me wonder by what pathway(s) my current faxes travel out of the HP all in one thru voip?!

VoIP = Voice over Internet Potocol (AKA IP Telephony)

It works by using an analog to digital converted (ADC – your AT&T VoIP modem) to convert the electrical signals used by phones/faxes into digital data (1’s & 0’s) which is then send over the internet to a digital to analog converter (DAC – in a VoIP modem either “at the location you’re calling” or at the “Local phone company’s LEC“) which converts it back into electrical signals the receiving phone/fax recognizes .

I.e. VoIP basically works just like POTS (Plain Old Telephone Service) but over the internet instead of using copper wires.

The dial up modems mentioned require POTS/VoIP phone service to work so, if you don’t have one of them, such a modem is useless!

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Tex265

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Any “USB dial-up” modem, soft or hard(ware) is absolutely NOT secure. Anyone with a modem running the same protocol (in the analog domain) could demodulate the streams and get a portion or all of what you’re trying to transmit. I used to do this a while back when I had analog modem traffic interfering with my voice phone line. Unless if you are using a proprietary PAIR of modems and/or fax terminals, you have no security on a simple analog call from fax to fax.

You have to start with your destination site and work backwards to your origination site. Fax over IP could be a viable solution, but you must secure the network all the way through. VPN may be part of that solution. SSL perhaps should not, since that can be intercepted by a fake SSL server. No one has any right to privacy on the Internet, so don’t expect everyone will play fair.

And don’t rely on any “secure” fax provider, unless if they can guarantee they can only communicate with your destination fax terminal with a digital secure method. A “dial-up” analog modem at your destination fax terminal can never be secure without a proprietary solution between the fax service and your destination.

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This assumes the bad guy is sitting on your phone line and attempting to listen. The fax service will use a digital connection to the PSTN and it is digital up to the last link – if it’s copper – so an attacker has to be at the fax end to listen in.

cheers, Paul

 

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[Kathy Stevens]

Kathy Stevens wrote:

ProtonVPN for FAX via internet traffic.

USRobotics 56K V.92 USB Soft Modem to fax via phone line.

• This reply was modified 1 year, 1 month ago by Kathy Stevens.

Some phone providers (FIOS for instance) need a business account to have a ‘land line’ fax work.

Just because you don't know where you are going doesn't mean any road will get you there.

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Vonage, an internet phone service, represents that, “You can use any fax-capable machine to send and receive faxes on a dedicated Vonage Fax Line. To add a dedicated fax line to your Vonage account, you must maintain at least one Vonage voice line for making and receiving calls.”

As such you can use a USRobotics 56K V.92 USB Soft Modem to fax via the Vonage phone system.

If you only send an occasional fax and do not intend to receive fax you can simply plug the modem into you Vonage phone line when you are ready to fax and unplug it when you are done.  Likewise, if you know the exact time that you will receive a fax you can simply plug in the modem, receive the fax and then disconnect modem and reconnect the phone.

It appears that you can do the same with Fios. See “Send a fax using Fios Digital Voice” at   https://www.verizon.com/support/residential/homephone/service-equipment/fax-machine

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What’s your budget?  I would recommend something like eFax Pricing: Online Fax Plans for Any Budget – eFax

or similar. As far as no ISP capture, they will know you went to a fax site, but not be able to see/read the transmission.

VPNs are not necessarily more secure if they track what you go to. I do not recommend free VPN services.

 

Susan Bradley Patch Lady/Prudent patcher

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eFax is too pricey for very occasional usage.  I was looking at Hello Fax/Drop Fax, or FaxPlus, but unsure of their security/encyption/storage process?

VPN wise, seems NordVpn is reasonable price and has only memory data type servers that do not/can not retain your data?

Comments?

Windows 11 Pro v24H2 and Windows 10 Pro x64 v22H2

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Tex265 wrote:

I’m looking to cut the cord on my HP all in one printer/fax

Faxing over land line is secured. No one can interfere.

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Except your ‘uncle’ of course.

Just because you don't know where you are going doesn't mean any road will get you there.

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But then again, your ‘uncle’ needs a court approved warrant to listen in on your phone.

In addition, if you are suspected of using your phone line to support the gathering of “foreign intelligence information”, dealing with “foreign powers”, and/or “agents of foreign powers” who are suspected of espionage and/or terrorism the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA) may apply.

FISA provides a statutory framework for Federal governmental agencies to obtain authorization to gather foreign intelligence by means of (1) electronic surveillance, (2) physical searches, (3) pen registers and trap and trace (PR/TT) devices (which record or decode dialing, routing, addressing, or signaling information), or (4) the production of certain business records. Agencies request authorization for such activities from the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court (FISC), a specialized court created by FISA to act as a neutral arbiter of agency requests for FISA.

So, if you are involved in a crime or espionage a fax may not be your best option.

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I am not familiar with AT&T modems. But yes, if you cancel your AT&T phone service the AT&T modem will most likely become useless and the USB DIAL-UP EXTERNAL SOFTMODEM will not be an option.

I assume that you plan on relying on a cell phone after you terminate your ATT service. If so, you will have to rely on the internet for faxing or go to a stationary store or other facility that provides fax services.

How does your HP all in one printer/fax communicate with your computer now – hard wired or WiFi/Bluetooth?

What software is associated with the HP all in one printer/fax?  Does it support sending fax by the internet?  How about a cell phone?

Based upon what you have posted so far it looks as if you are going to have to rely on an online fax service.  If so and you are using it to transmit medical records, you will want to find one that is a HIPAA-compliant service if you are in the States.

Good luck.

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Kathy Stevens wrote:

Based upon what you have posted so far it looks as if you are going to have to rely on an online fax service.

Yes seems to be the case.

Kathy Stevens wrote:

you will want to find one that is a HIPAA-compliant service if you are in the States.

…and that brings us back to my original posting question:

Tex265 wrote:

Does anyone have a company/service to recommend?

Windows 11 Pro v24H2 and Windows 10 Pro x64 v22H2

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If I may inquire further, so how does a “paid for” online fax service company, that reportedly is secure/encrypted work?  Utilizing the computer, guess the fax input is already digital?  Then the the utilized fax company’s program encrypts it as it leaves the computer?  Or is that why you need a VPN program/provider?

Can the ISP see its contents? What about all the other server hops the data may take?

Similar question as to how banks/financial institution’s websites reportedly provide secure messaging/emails with customers?  Not asking about specifically password protected transactions such as with DropBox, just everyday correspondance/banking requests that are sent/received over the institution’s website messaging area.

Again, who if anyone can see or handles/saves the data contents along its travels from me to the final destination?  Is it truly secured? Is that where a VPN can be of value?

Windows 11 Pro v24H2 and Windows 10 Pro x64 v22H2

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The “security” is between your computer and the fax service computer via standard https. Then it heads out over the PSTN to the remote fax.
Only the fax company can “see” the data so you have to trust them.

You do not need a VPN.

cheers, Paul

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