4 ms·

Fax isn't encrypted. If you wiretap the line, you can just read off any faxes. Email can be sent over TLS, and the email itself can be encrypted with PGP. Howe

Fax isn't encrypted. If you wiretap the line, you can just read off any faxes. Email can be sent over TLS, and the email itself can be encrypted with PGP. However, superficially, fax is more secure because there are no stored copies (maybe depending on the machine?). There's the original, and the copy that gets printed out on the other end. If you were to fax over a script for a movie, there wouldn't be a copy sitting on a disk on the receiving end, there would only be a printout. That's what Ridley Scott is alluding to in that video.

duxup 8y ago
That and who is really taping the line vs..... trying to hack any computer they can for whatever reason. Seems like fax has fewer folks targeting that system.
Zenst 8y ago
There are secure fax machines that utilise encryption, require ISDN and used by UK government since the 90's (unsure if still used but probable).
- exikyut 8y ago
  Presumably one of each are needed at both ends? How is the encryption done? Password? I've never heard about anything like this; fax machines have always been the POTS analog kind over in Australia.
  - ecolonsmak 8y ago
    https://www.tccsecure.com/Products/voice-fax-data-encryption/CSD3324spf-detail.aspx https://www.tccsecure.com/Products/voice-fax-data-encryption... in the us these are standard in scif locations.
  - Zenst 8y ago
    Used ISDN and had the fax machine plugged into the encryption box and that into the ISDN wall socket. Though no reason why such an approach could be utilised for pots based FAX machines. As for the encryption - was pre-shared key type affair and unable to elaborate further.
exikyut 8y ago
Haha no. Telcos have had a tapping mentality for a long time. It's not advertised, but it's clearly there. So, if we go from there and then take something like https://theintercept.com/2018/06/25/att-internet-nsa-spy-hubs/ https://theintercept.com/2018/06/25/att-internet-nsa-spy-hub... and consider the complexity of that, then ponder XKEYSCORE and so forth, yes, absolutely ISPs store faxes __precisely because they're unencrypted__ and __precisely because they're routinely used for medical and other sensitive data__. Or the NSA isn't worth its $1B/yr. I don't know Ridley Scott, but he needs to talk to a nice security researcher at some point, someone whose feet are on the ground and who likes sharing honestly.
gh2k 8y ago
While it would be great if everyone used PGP, I don't think you can guarantee that interim SMTP servers (of which there could be several on your email's path to its recipient) will communicate with each other over TLS, or that your end user will download the email over a secure connection either. So, wiretapping your email is definitely that can happen even if you send it securely.

duxup 8y ago

That and who is really taping the line vs..... trying to hack any computer they can for whatever reason. Seems like fax has fewer folks targeting that system.

Zenst 8y ago

There are secure fax machines that utilise encryption, require ISDN and used by UK government since the 90's (unsure if still used but probable).

exikyut 8y ago
Presumably one of each are needed at both ends? How is the encryption done? Password? I've never heard about anything like this; fax machines have always been the POTS analog kind over in Australia.
- ecolonsmak 8y ago
  https://www.tccsecure.com/Products/voice-fax-data-encryption/CSD3324spf-detail.aspx https://www.tccsecure.com/Products/voice-fax-data-encryption... in the us these are standard in scif locations.
- Zenst 8y ago
  Used ISDN and had the fax machine plugged into the encryption box and that into the ISDN wall socket. Though no reason why such an approach could be utilised for pots based FAX machines. As for the encryption - was pre-shared key type affair and unable to elaborate further.

exikyut 8y ago

Haha no. Telcos have had a tapping mentality for a long time. It's not advertised, but it's clearly there. So, if we go from there and then take something like https://theintercept.com/2018/06/25/att-internet-nsa-spy-hubs/ https://theintercept.com/2018/06/25/att-internet-nsa-spy-hub... and consider the complexity of that, then ponder XKEYSCORE and so forth, yes, absolutely ISPs store faxes __precisely because they're unencrypted__ and __precisely because they're routinely used for medical and other sensitive data__. Or the NSA isn't worth its $1B/yr. I don't know Ridley Scott, but he needs to talk to a nice security researcher at some point, someone whose feet are on the ground and who likes sharing honestly.

gh2k 8y ago

While it would be great if everyone used PGP, I don't think you can guarantee that interim SMTP servers (of which there could be several on your email's path to its recipient) will communicate with each other over TLS, or that your end user will download the email over a secure connection either. So, wiretapping your email is definitely that can happen even if you send it securely.