Since its introduction, the fax machine has been regarded as a secure business tool. However, as technology developed, many variations of faxing have created some doubt about security issues.<\/p>\n
Possibly the main contributor to these concerns is the fax-to-email system which, while cost- effective, raises a third party security concern.<\/p>\n
With fax-to-email, confidential information is unsecured on a third party server, and can be potentially used for fraudulent means. In many instances where employees have signed up for the fax-to-email service, the fax number is the personal property of the employee, not the company. When the employee moves or leaves the company, they take the number \u2013 and the customers who use that number \u2013 with them.<\/p>\n
Another concern is that fax-to-email offers little or no audit trail on delivery, receipt, time frames etc. In many instances, this information is critical for decision making and dispute resolution. If no audit trail exists on forwarding of confidential faxes, the opportunity for untraceable fraud is large.<\/p>\n
One of the reasons why so many people are opting for fax-to-email is because it is inexpensive and efficient. A more expensive but also more secure option is RightFax which delivers a reliable and robust fax software solution. It integrates and automates the flow of a full range of fax, paper and electronic documents and data. By using an open text fax server, companies can securely and efficiently deliver business information from virtually any application via fax, email, print devices or over the internet.<\/p>\n
RightFax requires individual fax numbers for every connected employee. For large companies this creates a dilemma as the maximum number of fax numbers that can be allocated on a primary rate ISDN (PRI) line is 300 direct inbound dialling (DID) numbers. While technically this is not a problem, the cost involved in buying multiple PRIs is the limiting factor.<\/p>\n
A new system, Extenda, has been developed that overcomes the 300 direct inbound dialling (DID) problem. According to Craig Freer, MD of Vox Amvia, the new system allocates a range of national DID numbers on a company\u2019s existing PRI lines. Up to 15 000 numbers can be routed on a single PRI. \u201cExisting numbers are not affected, and will continue to function normally. In some instances, we may be able to reallocate existing staff fax-to-email numbers to this existing PRI,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
Users are provisioned on the RightFax server using the Xtenda provisioning tool, allocating a fax number to each user. In instances where existing fax-to-email numbers are changed, an online portal provides the employee\u2019s old number and new number for quick and easy reference. Faxes sent to one of the customer\u2019s national DID numbers are routed by Telkom to the customer\u2019s RightFax PRI lines, and a copy delivered by RightFax to the relevant individual using the company\u2019s intranet. Faxes can be delivered as an email, via the web or direct to desktop using client software.<\/p>\n
The most important advantage is that the fax numbers belong to the company, not the individual, and can be reused when employees leave, while companies continue to experience all the benefits of RightFax, which is secure as faxes remain on the RightFax server on site.<\/p>\n
For smaller companies and home office users, fax-to-email still remains the best option. While the suppliers of fax-to-email will undoubtedly take every precaution to ensure that their servers are secure, there are no guarantees.<\/p>\n