• phoenixarise@lemmy.world
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    5 hours ago

    Faxes are common in healthcare facilities and hospitals. I would imagine that they’re safer when it comes to sensitive data.

    • GenosseFlosse@feddit.org
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      3 hours ago

      They are analog modems on a telephone line. There is no encryption at all, because they still need to be compatible with fax machines from the 1970s.

      There was also an exploit where someone sent a manipulated image via fax, which would exploit an old bug in a jpg library that is used in the software stack, so you can run your own code.

    • twoBrokenThumbs@lemmy.world
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      2 hours ago

      Not really safer, they just work with the existing infrastructure. Personally, I think there’s still a place for fax, it’s essentially a convenient way to scan and transmit, and these days you can get them to your email or phone (not in healthcare because that’s not HIPAA compliant). Sure, not anybody’s first choice, but I think it’s still valid.