Though the Sony breach was one of the biggest in history, the company was far from alone in its efforts to protect data from bad actors. Data protection is becoming increasingly important—and the inherent vulnerabilities of email and other platforms are becoming more obvious. Fax machines communicate through phone lines, which provide a more secure, less accessible alternative to traditional internet connections. As online security issues escalate, both traditional and online fax methods must be scrutinized for their safety. Many companies are looking for other ways to safeguard sensitive information, which has led some to focus on fax to email. Here, we’ll discuss the faxploit vulnerability and how to minimize its effects.

Understanding Faxploit and Its Risks

Faxploit is a security vulnerability that specifically targets traditional fax machines, allowing hackers to gain unauthorized access to a company’s network. This vulnerability is particularly concerning because it can be exploited through something as simple as a fax transmission. Unlike modern digital communication methods, traditional fax machines rely on older technology that lacks robust security features. This makes them an attractive target for cybercriminals looking to infiltrate corporate networks and steal sensitive data.

Are Fax Machines Hackable?

The email platform is susceptible to intrusion because it’s connected to the internet, and because the technology is so pervasive. Email is accessible, which means that hackers have endless opportunities to exploit its weaknesses.

Fax machines, by comparison, are archaic. They’re not connected to the internet; rather, these analog devices send and receive data via phone lines. While they’re still used in some industries, they’re largely out of favor and they don’t present a strong value proposition to hackers. In theory, fax machines can transmit data outside the reach of cybercriminals. However, they can be hacked, after a fashion.

Modern fax machines can connect through internet protocols while emphasizing their security benefits, particularly when properly configured in a private, encrypted network.

A fax machine is a digital device, which means it contains computerized, programmable elements that can potentially be altered. There’s a big difference between emails and fax machines, however. While a computer can be hacked, a fax machine cannot. Instead, the fax’s peripherals are hackable.

The Vulnerability of Traditional Fax Machines

Traditional fax machines are particularly vulnerable to Faxploit due to their reliance on a combination of phone lines and internet connections to transmit faxes. This dual dependency creates a unique security risk. Hackers can exploit the phone line to gain initial access to the fax machine and then leverage the internet connection to spread malware throughout the network. The analog nature of phone lines might seem secure, but when combined with internet connectivity, it opens up a backdoor for cyber attacks. This vulnerability underscores the need for businesses to reassess the security of their fax technology.

How Faxploit Works

Faxploit operates by exploiting a weakness in the communication protocol of fax machines. When a fax is sent to a vulnerable machine, a hacker can embed malicious code within the fax transmission. Once the fax is received, the code is executed by the fax machine, allowing the hacker to gain access to the network. This method is particularly insidious because it uses a seemingly innocuous fax to deliver harmful payloads. The receiving fax machine, lacking advanced security measures, unwittingly becomes a gateway for cybercriminals to infiltrate the network and compromise sensitive information.

Do Faxes Carry Viruses?

Emails often contain links that lead to malware, viruses, and other software that infects machines, steals information, and disrupts networks. However, incoming faxes can also pose risks if not properly encrypted, as they can carry sensitive metadata during transmission. Hackers have capitalized on this, sending emails that masquerade as fax messages. When a user clicks on one of these deceptive emails, their machine will be infected.

How Can Businesses Remain Compliant With Internal and Government Regulations?

While fax does much to keep sensitive information protected, the technology can be manipulated. It’s not due to an inherent flaw, but because there’s no way to prevent human error, which leads to most security and compliance breaches. Users can stay compliant with Documo features such as:

·      Document storage integration, which reduces the need to scan or print sensitive documents

·      Creating an audit trail for data

·      Authentication based on receiver and sender identity

·      Admin-configurable permissions based on each user’s information access requirements

With technology like Documo, employees can follow the rules while receiving and sending faxes safely, quickly, and securely.

The Greatest Threats to Fax Security

Many who use fax technology for its security benefits fail to consider the two biggest hacking threats. These include:

·      Interception. While data is secure while it’s on the machine, that’s not always the case. Hackers can’t steal the data from the fax machine as they would from an email service. Once the information is sent, however, it’s vulnerable. Fax machines don’t include encryption technology, which means data is sent and received unprotected. Although it’s harder to steal data from an analog line than from the internet, it’s still possible.

·      Faxploit. Today’s firewalls stop most cyberattacks. As evidenced by the Sony hack, it’s not foolproof—but it does take a prolonged, persistent technique to break through. Fax machines have no firewall, but most are connected to IT networks. That means an enterprising hacker can use a fax machine as a backdoor into a network, using basic programming to bypass the protections placed on advanced hardware.

Online faxing offers a solution to these issues by providing encryption to protect data, making it a reliable option for businesses and individuals looking to safely share confidential documents over the internet. It also simplifies the process of transmitting sensitive information.

In the section below, we’ll explain the faxploit vulnerability in greater detail.

At its core, faxploit is an infiltration method. Like other hacking methods, it uses problematic files to gain unauthorized access to computer networks. The goal is the same as well; faxploit hackers typically aim to blackmail users or steal their data. Fax machines are the only pieces of equipment that are susceptible to faxploit.

When an unauthorized user attempts to access a system, they usually meet a firewall that stops harmful programs. As mentioned above, fax machines lack firewalls, and they’re not equipped to combat digital threats. Hackers know this, and they also realize that these machines are typically connected to corporate IT networks via WiFi or all-in-one printers. Because there’s no protection, a hacker can attack a fax machine and use it to access a network, thereby using internal connections to spread malware.

Protecting Your Fax Machine from Cyber Attacks

To protect your fax machine from cyber attacks, it’s essential to take several proactive measures. First, ensure that your fax machine is regularly updated with the latest security patches to close any known vulnerabilities. Second, consider using a secure online fax service that offers encryption and secure transmission protocols, which can significantly reduce the risk of interception and unauthorized access. Finally, limit access to your fax machine by ensuring that only authorized personnel can send and receive faxes. Implementing these steps can help safeguard your fax machine and protect your network from potential cyber threats.

How to Stop Faxploit

There’s just one way to stop faxploit: stop using fax machines. One of the biggest issues is that analog lines don’t have the protection needed to stop digital threats as they arise, therefore fax machines lack it as well. To ensure the platform’s security, the technology must be reinvented.

While previous faxploits were patched, the fix only worked on a certain bit of code. Fax technology still has the same flaw, which means there’s nothing stopping a hacker from executing malicious programs. Fax seems archaic these days, but numerous businesses still use it as a primary means of communication. For these companies, eliminating fax technology is not an option.

Online fax services, particularly those that are HIPAA compliant, are increasingly used for transmitting sensitive medical information due to their enhanced security features, such as 256-bit encryption.

There may be a compromise, however.

With Documo, you can toss the fax machine without dumping the underlying technology. Our solution facilitates the digital transmission of faxes, making them more secure. It’s still possible to communicate with traditional machines, but all your company’s sensitive data is sent and received through modern, secure hardware.

Turn to Online Fax Services for All the Benefits Without the Risk

Fax technology may seem outdated to some, but as evidenced by its continued use in the healthcare and legal fields, it still has a place in the business world. Medical records are often transferred between healthcare practitioners and insurers, and the secure transmission of these records through online fax services adheres to strict regulations, ensuring that sensitive personal information remains protected during the transfer process. It’s not without its security flaws, though, and companies must still take steps to protect sensitive data as it’s being transmitted. With Documo, businesses can stop faxploits without losing the ability to send and receive information by fax. Contact us today to learn how we can help companies improve security and keep the functionality they need.