HDTenEightyP/NetNews huggingface dataset:
From: dannyb@panix.com (Daniel Burstein)
Subject: Re: Fax with encryption?
Organization: PANIX Public Access Unix, NYC
Date: Tue, 12 Jan 1993 06:37:23 GMT

the question was asked about whether there were user freindly methods of
encrypting faxen, and whether this could be part of the standard fax
protocol activated in the intial "mating" two standard fax machines
arrange before communicating (well, really it's before they transfer the
fax, but you know what I mean).

Answer: unfortunately, the simple answer is -no-.  reason is that the
standards for Group 3 fax, the protocols that make it possible for just
about all machiens to "talk" to each other, were designed before this was
considered. So ther is no provision in the id'ing stream to make note of
this.  

BUT.... there are, in fact, various add-ons using PROPRIETARY encruyprtion
schemes which hook between the fax machine and the phone line (or, for
that matter, between a DATA modem and the phone line) which do additional
encryption transparently to the user.  This does require that you use two
of them, of course.  Various levels of security are available, up to, and
including, DES and extended versions.

(SOme of these require US Gov't approval for export, so chances are they
give the NSA at least a grimace.)

danny (shh, just because you're paranoid doesn't mean they're not looking
for you) burstein

dannyb@panix.com

Newsgroups: comp.dcom.fax
From: ketil@edb.tih.no (Ketil Albertsen,TIH)
Subject: Re: Fax with encryption?
Organization: T I H / T I S I P 
Posting-Front-End: Winix Conference v 92.05.15  1.20 (running under MS-Windows)
Date: Mon, 11 Jan 1993 13:57:44 GMT

In article <C0oMzE.LD6@newsserver.technet.sg>, mathias@solomon.technet.sg 
(Mathias Koerber) writes:

>Having bought a Fax-Modem recently (OAFax 9648), I started wondering whether
>it wouldn't be possible to encrypt faxes. Not only in Software but also
>in standard Fax machines. [...]

I suppose that could in principle be possible, but it would be an all-new
protocol that wouldn't be understood by old faxes. Well, of course that new
one could be an extended old one, but if we are to buy new fax machines 
anyway, we might as well reconsider the protocol. 

With ISDN coming, the "I" part ("Integrated") implies something about 
getting access to all services through one net. The telecomm administrations 
are at least claiming thaty they will build a lot of interworking functions
(IWFs) into the net, for interworking with eg. G3Fax and even G2Fax. Any 
sort of (user level) encryption makes all sorts of interworking impossible -
the IWF function must be able to decipher the data to convert them to another
format. This of course applies to all sorts of interworking - eg. physical
delivery on a fax machine of an X.400 message with an encrypted body part
doesn't make much sense, either.

I guess that any encryption would treat the scanned file as a whole, ignoring
line breaks etc. So the exchange protocol couldn't be line or page oriented.
You are then left with a file transfer protocol of sorts. I think that would
be a good idea - use one of the existing protocols rather than make up a
special one for fax alone. You could use Kermit with a 14.4K modem, and you
might get the image across faster than by modem... (Yes, that is a pure
software solution)

If you use ISDN, and you have a PC performing NT2 (PBX) functions, you may
of course encrypt *all* the data (sound, fax etc.) without the fax machine,
or whatever, "knowing" it. The receiver decrypts in a similar way, and the
fax machines won't know that the data has been encrypted along the way.
This wouldn't interfere with a scan-line-based protocol, either. But I
don't think you'll find any standard for this setup. (So noone would even
know the *method* you are using, which makes eavesdropping even harder!)

But then, for ordinary use, I think the telecommunication services are 
sufficiently safe for eavesdropping - if the Norwegian telecomm adm were 
ever caught in letting anyone bug the net, the entire thing would break up.
Maybe I am naive, but I sort of trust them. People who want to steal my
papers have much easier ways to do it than to bug my phone line.
From: s0r1282@zeus.tamu.edu (RAVET, STEVEN)
Newsgroups: comp.dcom.fax
Subject: fax AT commands
Date: 7 Jan 1993 16:08 CST
Organization: Texas A&M University, Academic Computing Services
Distribution: usa
NNTP-Posting-Host: zeus.tamu.edu
News-Software: VAX/VMS VNEWS 1.41    

My modem manual says "...for those interested in developing software for the
fax modem a detailed description of AT commands, result codes, etc is available
from the Telecommunication Industry Association"

it goes on to give document numbers, etc.

My question is:  Is this information available anywhere else?  TIA wants
significant $ for it.  Is there a complete set of AT commands for negotiating
transmission speed, etc?  I guess what I am wondering is is it as easy to fax
using AT commands as it is to do data communications?  thanks all
steve ravet

Newsgroups: comp.dcom.fax
From: dannyb@panix.com (Daniel Burstein)
Subject: Re: Fax with encryption?
Organization: PANIX Public Access Unix, NYC
Date: Tue, 12 Jan 1993 10:48:15 GMT

In <1993Jan12.073028.5131W@lumina.edb.tih.no> ketil@edb.tih.no (Ketil Albertsen,TIH) writes:

>In article <C0pvqF.KBF@newsserver.technet.sg>, mathias@solomon.technet.sg 
>(Mathias Koerber) writes:

>Most fax traffic that needs to be protected is business information.
>Most businesses have non-individual fax machines. So the secretary, or
>whoever handles the fax machine, must know (or agree with the sender)
>the decrypt key. 

>In principle, the secretary may whenever an encrypted fax comes in page 
>whoever is expecting a fax (secretary wouldn't know who!) to immediately 
>leave whatever work he is doing run as quickly to the fax to enter the 
>right number... No, that wouldn't work in practice.

About a year ago I read (somewhere or another....  we all know -that-
problem) of a moderately secure method of dealing with this problem.

You've all seen the envelopes with carbon on the INSIDE, which use a
no-ribbon printer to "type" the INSIDE of the envelope, i.e, there is no
printing on the outside, but the impact uses teh INSIDE carbon to print
onto the paper. 

Someone came out with a thermal fax paper based on a similar deal.  The
heat went through the cover sheet without affecting it, was transferred to
the interior, and the printing only appeared on the inside sheet.

All sorts of side issues were addressed, such as how to pre-attach the
cover to the backing (turns out you'd use the SIDE for the factory
attachments, so that the length wouldn't be an issue).

while it's far from perfect, it would prevent casual observation.  I
haven't seen this product appear on the market, though, and I doubt there
will be enough demand to bring it out.


dannyb@panix.com

Newsgroups: comp.dcom.fax
From: wcsv2k@alfred.carleton.ca (Bill St. Arnaud)
Subject: FAX passwords and mailboxes
Summary: FAX passwords and mailboxes
Organization: Carleton University
Date: Tue, 12 Jan 1993 14:18:34 GMT

The CCITT SG VIII has set new standards for password and polling for
FAX.  This will obviate the problem of somebody else reading your
FAXs.

As well Sony, Marconi, Panasonic and many others are bringing out FAX
answering machines.  These will operate like voice answering machines
- retrive messages remotely, scan for messages, password protection,
print on command, connect to laser printers, LAN, computers etc etc.

These devices are around $300 and will solve many of the basic FAX
security issues.


Bill St. Arnaud                         Internet: wcsv2k@ccs.carleton.ca
VISION 2000 INC.                        X.400: C=CA; A=TELECOM.CANADA;
203-294 Albert St.                             O=VISION2000; DDA:ID=V2K.EMS
Ottawa CANADA                           Voice: +1 613 567-2000  
K1P 6E6                                 Fax:   +1 613 567-4730

=============================================================================
VISION 2000 INC:  A Department of Communications and industry initiative to
foster and accelerate the development of personal communications in Canada.
=============================================================================
From: hamielo@ucbeh.san.uc.edu
Newsgroups: comp.dcom.fax
Subject: Problems with MTEZ software for Fax
Date: 9 Jan 93 23:01:53 EST
Distribution: world
Organization: Univ. of Cincinnati

I need help with the MTEZ software for ExpressFax. For some reasone I cant read
recieving Fax. Can you you tell me some possible reasons?
Newsgroups: comp.dcom.fax
From: elias@vallenar.ing.puc.cl (Elias Andalaft)
Subject: Nuvotel 96424 fax/modem problems in XT
Organization: Pontificia Universidad Catolica de Chile
X-Newsreader: TIN [version 1.1 PL8]
Date: Tue, 12 Jan 1993 13:26:09 GMT

Recently I bought a Nuvotel 96424 fax modem for my PC XT and I am having
problems with the fax mode.  The modem fax comes with a software called 
FAXit for Windows. It works in background. The problem is that when I
am sending a fax, the Hard disk starts to work and all the thing gets stuck.
   Is the XT with 640K RAM too small for a background software??
   In the manual of the FAXit , it says that is not recommended to use the
software in REAL MODE, but it doesn't say that it won't work..
      
      What is the problem???

 Thank you.

Name: Elias Andalaft Venegas
Email: elias@vallenar.ing.puc.cl
Newsgroups: comp.dcom.fax
From: oml@eloka.demon.co.uk (Owen Lewis)
Subject: Re: Fax with encryption? 
Distribution: world
Organization: Eloka Consultancy & Project Management
Reply-To: oml@eloka.demon.co.uk
Followup-To: Fax Encryption
X-Mailer: Simple NEWS 1.90 (ka9q DIS 1.19)
Date: Tue, 12 Jan 1993 18:59:20 +0000

In article <C0qAEB.FDK@panix.com> dannyb@panix.com writes:

>BUT.... there are, in fact, various add-ons using PROPRIETARY encruyprtion
>schemes which hook between the fax machine and the phone line (or, for
>that matter, between a DATA modem and the phone line) which do additional
>encryption transparently to the user.
>
Fax sacrifices logic to ease of use and thus is not easy to encrypt. Trying to develop a good system
develop a good system that will work reliably has driven more than one company 
to the edge of bankruptcy. 
The better systems seem to work with the crypto module placed upstream of the 
fax machine's modem (only easy where there is an existing RS232 port that 
allows it).
Outside of the US there are good (and not so good) manufacturers of fax crypto
equipment in the UK, NL, S, GE and probably many other countries as well. I 
have never heard of a Japanese fax encryptor but it defies all the laws of 
probability to assume that theres mo such thing.
From: smartin@Canada.lsil.com (Stephen Martin)
Newsgroups: comp.dcom.fax
Subject: WB vs gnufax
Date: Mon, 4 Jan 1993 21:47:55 GMT
Distribution: comp
Organization: LSI Logic Corporation of Canada, Inc.

Does anyone know if the World Blazer with the fax upgrade will work with Gnu
fax 3.2.1?? Would it be difficult to get it to work?
--
---
Stephen Martin               -------    LSI Logic Corporation of Canada, Inc.
Phone: (416) 620-7400     LSI|LOGIC|    Suite 1110, 401 The West Mall,        
Fax:   (416) 620-5005        |     |    Etobicoke, Ontario, Canada.
Email: smartin@lsican.uucp   -------    M9C 5J5
 or    smartin@Canada.lsil.com
From: bz223@cleveland.Freenet.Edu (Danny Guy Frezza)
Newsgroups: comp.dcom.fax
Subject: Re: Problems with MTEZ software for Fax
Date: 10 Jan 1993 14:56:21 GMT
Organization: Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH (USA)
Reply-To: bz223@cleveland.Freenet.Edu (Danny Guy Frezza)
NNTP-Posting-Host: hela.ins.cwru.edu


In a previous article, hamielo@ucbeh.san.uc.edu () says:

>For some reason I cant read recieving Fax with the MTEZ software, can you give
>me some possible reason?
>
Could you explain in more detail?
	What is your equipment, ie, hardware, and what version of MTEZ are
you using?
	I have been using MTEZ with a Zoom 14.4 vfx v.32 bis Modem and hardly
have any problems faxing.
-- 

Dan Frezza
Internet: bz223@Cleveland.Freenet.Edu

Newsgroups: comp.dcom.fax
From: dean@tgivan.wimsey.com (Dean Neumann)
Subject: Re: Fax with encryption?
Organization: TGI Technologies Ltd.
Date: Tue, 12 Jan 1993 21:09:55 GMT

In article <C0oMzE.LD6@newsserver.technet.sg> mathias@solomon.technet.sg (Mathias Koerber) writes:
>Having bought a Fax-Modem recently (OAFax 9648), I started wondering whether
>it wouldn't be possible to encrypt faxes. Not only in Software but also
>in standard Fax machines. I guess for a good encryption scheme, one would
>have to scan in the page into internal memory, then enter a bignum as key,
>all lines get encrypted on the fly while sending, and the receiving station
>stores the encrypted pages in memory. Then a special function asks for the
>bignum, decrypts and prints.
>
>  [further text ommitted...]

Watch out.  Normal data encryption schemes don't work for fax.  First
of all, fax transmissions are not error-free (even if your fax machine
supports ECM, you're never guaranteed that the receiver's fax machine
does).  Therefore, if you encrypted the entire page and some of the
scanlines get hit during transmission, the decryption will fail.  If
you encrypt each scanline separately you get around that, because
line hits cause only the one scanline to be lost, so the remaining
scanlines will decrypt ok.  However, you must encrypt the data before
it gets run-length (T.4) encoded, so that you don't mess up the
compression.  However, if you do that, you'll get very very low run
length compression because your uncompressed data is pseudo-random.
The end result will be 10-15 minute transmission times per encrypted
page, and if the receiving fax machine stores the page in it's memory
(or PC disk) in compressed (T.4) format, which most do because it's
efficient, you'll be trying to store a couple hundred Kbytes rather
than a couple dozen Kbytes per page.

It turns out that there are a couple vendors that have fax products
on the market that have solved these problems.  (I refer explicitly 
to fax-image encryption as opposed to fax-protocol encryptors, or
which there are several).  But these are still proprietary solutions.
To my knowledge none have been placed in the public domain.
(No commercial plug, but I'll admit to bias up front; TGI is one of
those vendors).

Good luck with your search!

Regards, 
Dean Neumann                    dean@tgivan.wimsey.bc.ca
TGI Technologies.               !van-bc!tgivan!dean

TGI (Corporate)         TGI (Ottawa)
107 East 3rd Ave        #2, 634 Churchill Ave
Vancouver, B.C.         Ottawa, Ontario
Canada V5T-1C7          Canada K1Z-5E8
(604) 872-6676          (613) 722-0010
From: jcburt@gatsibm.larc.nasa.gov ()
Newsgroups: comp.dcom.fax
Subject: Fax Software...
Date: 4 Jan 1993 21:50:39 GMT
Organization: NASA Langley Research Center
Distribution: world
NNTP-Posting-Host: gatsibm.larc.nasa.gov

This is probably in the FAQ list for this group, but I'm not sure where to
find the FAQ list...

Okay, now for the question...  I just recently purchased a Digicom Scout+ Fax/Modem
for my Insight 386-33 machine running DOS 5.0...the modem part runs fine, not a
single problem with it...I'm having trouble with the Fax software for it...Bundled
with the Fax/Modem is Delrine's DosFax Lite software...  I *finally* succeeded in
installing DosFax Lite on my system...I had what appeared to be a memory conflict
between DosFax and QEMM - with QEMM installed, DosFax blitzed my CGA display into
never-never land mode...the only way I could get it back to normal was with ye olde
three fingered salute...ctrl-alt-del. Without QEMM I was able to install and run
DosFax (after many hours of trying to figure out just what the !@#$ was going on). So
now that I have it up and running, I can't fingure out *how* to print an incoming fax
to my printer...the manual & program say to do it via VIEW...one little
problem...VIEW IS NOT SUPPORTED for a CGA display!!! I don't want to VIEW the
frigging thing, I want to PRINT the frigging thing!!!! Right now, DosFax Lite is
about 2 inches from the trash can, and will permanently reside there if no one can
tell me how to print a fax when I have a CGA monitor...

Second problem...

If you haven't guessed by now, I got fed up with DosFax Lite and installed BitFax
which I think is *much* better...I was able to send and receive faxes just fine, and
I was able to view the incoming faxes on my CGA display!!! Only one little problem...
I couldn't get the printer driver to work properly with my printer (Panasonic
KX-P1124). The printer itself has worked flawlessly with every other software package
I've used, but when I try to print a Fax, the printer goes into graphics mode (which
it should do), prints most of the page header line, and then starts giving me
continuous form-feeds...I've tried this with several incoming faxes and had the same
results...apparently the printer is dropping out of graphics mode and tries to
interpret the incoming binary data as ASCII characters...the faxes themselves look
fine when I view them on the screen, I just can't get it to reliably print
them...suggestions?

Finally, does *anyone* have any suggestions / recommendations for fax software
packages to run on a 386 class machine running MS-DOS 5.0 ?

John Burton
jcburt@gatsibm.larc.nasa.gov





Newsgroups: comp.dcom.fax
From: wcsv2k@alfred.carleton.ca (Bill St. Arnaud)
Subject: FAX encryption products
Summary: FAX encryption products
Organization: Carleton University
Date: Tue, 12 Jan 1993 14:13:55 GMT

There is a company called Mobius which has a DES encryption product
for FAX that is transparent to FAX T.30 protocol.

Call Mobius Technologies +1 416 507-4220.


TR-29 is also working on a FAX encryption standard draft proposal
161-D and the TR-29 sub- committe is TR-29.4.

Bill St. Arnaud                         Internet: wcsv2k@ccs.carleton.ca
VISION 2000 INC.                        X.400: C=CA; A=TELECOM.CANADA;
203-294 Albert St.                             O=VISION2000; DDA:ID=V2K.EMS
Ottawa CANADA                           Voice: +1 613 567-2000  
K1P 6E6                                 Fax:   +1 613 567-4730

=============================================================================
VISION 2000 INC:  A Department of Communications and industry initiative to
foster and accelerate the development of personal communications in Canada.
=============================================================================

Xref: sparky comp.dcom.fax:2388 comp.dcom.modems:19041
From: keister@poincare.phys.cmu.edu (Bradley D. Keister)
Newsgroups: comp.dcom.fax,comp.dcom.modems
Subject: WinFax LITE
Date: 6 Jan 93 15:58:36 GMT
Organization: Carnegie Mellon, Pittsburgh, PA

Earlier I posted a query about I problem I had with WinFax LITE, in
which it failed to send any fax containing a cover sheet.  I'm using a
Digicom Scout+ with a Gateway 16MHz 386sx.  After spending
considerable time both with Digicom and Delrina tech support people, I
have an explanation which I'm posting here in case anyone else has had
this problem.

Apparently WinFax LITE creates a cover page on the fly, and 16 MHz and
20 MHz sx machines cannot always keep up, and the connection is then
lost.  I also tried running Windows in standard mode and setting the
fax rate to 4800 baud, but that didn't help.  I can, however, send any
number of fax pages without a cover sheet at 9600 baud in enhanced
mode, but WinFax must then read the raster images directly, and my
machine can keep up.  My Delrina contact did say that WinFax PRO 3.0
makes a raster image of the cover page, and then treats it like all
other pages, so this problem wouldn't arise (assuming I'm willing to
pay for an upgrade!).

If there are other possible explanations, I'd certainly like to know
about them.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Brad Keister                   OFFICE:   (412) 268-2772
Department of Physics          FAX:      (412) 681-0648
Carnegie Mellon University     INTERNET: keister@poincare.phys.cmu.edu
Pittsburgh, PA 15213           BITNET:   keister%poincare.phys.cmu.edu@CARNEGIE
Newsgroups: comp.dcom.fax,comp.dcom.modems
From: jpr@jpradley.jpr.com (Jean-Pierre Radley)
Subject: Re: Toby Nixon to work at Microsoft
Date: Tue, 05 Jan 1993 04:18:42 GMT
Organization: Unix in NYC

In article <6614.2b481de4@hayes.com> tnixon@hayes.com writes:
>I have accepted a position as a Program Manager in the Digital 
>Communications section of the Advanced Technology and Business
>Development group with Microsoft Corporation in Redmond, Washington.
>.....
>                                     I will continue to be involved 
>at least somewhat in modem and fax standards development, and so 
>hope to continue my role in dispelling myth, rumor, and 
>misunderstanding.

Toby, you have not only been a valuable dispeller of myth, rumor and
misunderstanding, but an equally valuable dispenser of truth, fact, and
enlightenment.

May I add my voice to what is surely a chorus of good wishes for the next
phase of your career.

And while I have your attention, Happy New Year too!
-- 
Jean-Pierre Radley   Unix in NYC   jpr@jpr.com   jpradley!jpr   CIS: 72160.1341
Xref: sparky comp.dcom.fax:2364 comp.dcom.modems:18880
From: tnixon@hayes.com
Newsgroups: comp.dcom.fax,comp.dcom.modems
Subject: Toby Nixon to work at Microsoft
Date: 4 Jan 93 11:22:12 EDT
Organization: Hayes Microcomputer Products, Norcross, GA

I have accepted a position as a Program Manager in the Digital 
Communications section of the Advanced Technology and Business
Development group with Microsoft Corporation in Redmond, Washington.
I plan to start there on Monday, January 11; my last day at Hayes
will be Friday, January 8.  My background is more in software than 
in hardware, and I look forward to having a part in bringing about
complete support in software for the advanced features I've had a
part in standardizing and developing in hardware. 

I do plan to continue to participate in the various Usenet
newsgroups, CompuServe forums, and other venues in which I've been
active for the past several years, since it's more of a hobby for me 
than a job.  However, I won't be an official Hayes representative 
(for obvious reasons), and most likely won't be an official 
representative of Microsoft, either. I will continue to be involved 
at least somewhat in modem and fax standards development, and so 
hope to continue my role in dispelling myth, rumor, and 
misunderstanding.

Thanks to you all for your support and interest in my work.

	-- Toby

-- 
Toby Nixon, Principal Engineer      | Voice   +1-404-840-9200  Telex 401243420
Hayes Microcomputer Products, Inc.  | Fax     +1-404-447-0178  CIS   70271,404
P.O. Box 105203                     | BBS     +1-404-446-6336  AT&T    !tnixon
Atlanta, Georgia  30348             | UUCP uunet!hayes!tnixon  Fido   1:114/15
USA                                 | Internet                tnixon@hayes.com