FACSIMILE (FAX) TRANSMISSION
(CT:IM-330; 11-25-2024)
(Office of Origin: DT/E-CISO)
5 FAM 531 summary
(CT:IM-330; 11-25-2024)
This section addresses the use of facsimile (fax) as a method of transmission. Fax transmission must only be used for official business except for occasional and limited personal use using local dialing.
5 fam 532 policy objectives
(CT:IM-330; 11-25-2024)
a. Personnel may use fax machines to complete official Department tasks such as transmitting memorandums and letters, obtaining clearances, providing informational copies, or transmitting other written material to complete official tasks .
b. Correspondence between the Department and members of Congress is subject to guidance issued by the Bureau of Legislative Affairs (H). Responses to inquiries from members of Congress or their staffs may be sent by fax with telephone approval of the Congressional office concerned and must stay consistent with H’s tracking requirements. The Inspector General has statutory authority to report directly to Congress pursuant to the Inspector General Act of 1978, as amended.
c. See 5 FAM 400, Records Management, for information on maintenance and retirement of faxed information as official records.
5 fam 533 policy scope
(CT:IM-330; 11-25-2024)
a. This policy applies to the Department enterprise-wide, both domestically and abroad.
b. This policy is the authority governing the management and use of both unclassified and classified fax machines.
5 FAM 534 UNCLASSIFIED FAX MACHINES
(CT:IM-330; 11-25-2024)
a. The following provides general guidelines for using the unclassified fax:
(1) Only UNCLASSIFIED information (except as noted in paragraph d below) may be transmitted on standard fax machines. Classified information may be sent via fax only on specifically approved machines used in conjunction with an approved encryption/decryption device.
(2) Unclassified fax machines installed in controlled access areas (CAAs) must be located in rooms where classified information is neither processed nor discussed and must be isolated in compliance with telephone security group (TSG) standards. (See 12 FAH-6 H-540 [classified]).
b. Unclassified fax machines intended for installation in CAAs must be purchased from United States citizen vendors in the United States (see 12 FAH-6 H-542.5-3 [classified]) in accordance with existing random procurement for CAA materials guidelines and transported to site by secure means. Secure transportation may include transport by a cleared United States citizen or with a Department applied seal indicating it has not been tampered with.
c. If operational requirements demand that Sensitive but Unclassified (SBU) information be sent by unclassified fax, the originator must carefully review the document and clearly understand and comply with the regulations contained in 12 FAM 540 – Sensitive but Unclassified Information (SBU). The transmission of SBU information must be restricted to the conduct of official U.S. business. The custodian of the information must ensure that the recipient's facsimile phone number is correct, that the recipient is authorized to receive the information, and, when faxed to a number outside U.S. Government control, that the recipient is present.
d. Prior to transmission, the document holder must be certain that the document does not contain national security information and does not bear the NOFORN restriction. NOFORN information must be sent through secure means.
5 FAM 535 CLASSIFIED FAX MACHINES
(CT:IM-330; 11-25-2024)
a. Only secure or TEMPEST fax machines may be used to transmit or receive classified documents. The fax unit can only be used in conjunction with an approved encryption/decryption device and must be installed in accordance with appropriate security criteria. Additional requirements are contained in 12 FAH-6 H-530 (classified).
b. The Regional Security Officer (RSO) or Post Security Officer (PSO) must approve the purchase of classified fax machines per Department procurement procedures.
c. The installation of any secure fax machine, including all non-Department systems at posts abroad, must have the specific written approval of the Chief of Mission (COM).
5 FAM 536 REFERENCES
(CT:IM-330; 11-25-2024)
5 FAM 536.1 Acronyms
(CT:IM-330; 11-25-2024)
CAA (Controlled Access Area)
COM (Chief of Mission)
FAX (Facsimile)
NOFORN (Not for Release to Foreign Nationals)
PSO (Post Security Officer)
RSO (Regional Security Officer)
SBU (Sensitive but Unclassified)
TEMPEST (Telecommunications Electronics Material Protected from Emanating Spurious Transmissions)
TSG (Telephone Security Group)
5 FAM 536.2 Definitions
(CT:IM-330; 11-25-2024)
TEMPEST – A name referring to the investigation, study, and control of unintentional compromising emanations from telecommunications and automated information systems equipment. (FIPS 140-2)
5 FAM 536.3 Authorities
(CT:IM-330; 11-25-2024)
a. Inspector General Act of 1978, as amended.
5 FAM 536.4 Related FAM/FAH
(CT:IM-330; 11-25-2024)
5 FAM 400, Records Management.
12 FAH-6 H-530 (classified).
5 FAM 537 THROUGH 539 UNASSIGNED