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10/15/2024

Cessation of fax operations at the University of Kassel as of 30.11.2024

@IT Service Center

Dear employees of the University of Kassel,
dear colleagues,

On November 30, 2024, the central fax server at our university will be shut down for good and the decentralized fax connections will be deactivated. This measure serves the clear goal of replacing outdated technologies with modern, efficient and data protection-compliant solutions.

At the beginning of 2022, the Hessian Commissioner for Data Protection and Freedom of Information (HBDI) had already pointed out in a handout that the transmission of personal data by fax may violate the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). Transmission by unencrypted fax is no longer acceptable, especially for data with high protection requirements. The GDPR obliges us to put means of communication such as fax to the test and use alternative, secure communication channels.


Switching off fax connections is a necessary step to keep our university up to date in terms of both technology and data protection law. The motto proclaimed more than two years ago, "Faxed off!", is finally becoming a reality for us.


What happens now without you having to do anything?

  • The fax server and fax lines will be switched off centrally. You do not have to do anything.
  • The display of fax numbers on websites that use the TYPO3 people plugin will be removed centrally. You do not have to do anything for this either.

 

What should you do now?

  • Please remove the references to fax numbers in your workspace - whether in e-mail signatures, letterheads or on websites etc.
  • Promote alternative communication channels such as e-mail or other digital solutions (in future, especially DMS). Documents that are already available digitally should also be sent digitally (e.g. as a PDF attachment in an e-mail - preferably encrypted in the case of personal or confidential data - with an electronic signature if necessary). Before sending paper documents, you should consider whether it would be better to send them digitally (scanned or photographed and, if necessary, with an electronic signature). In doing so, you are making an important contribution to the success of the digital transformation of our university.

Thank you for your understanding and support in implementing this measure!


With best regards

Walter Blocher

 

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Prof. Dr. Dr. Walter Blocher

CIO (Chief Information Officer) of the

University of Kassel