IMAP Connection
Overview
The IMAP connection allows IB-X Agents to connect to mail servers for reading and managing emails.
Use this connection with workflow activities that need to access incoming emails and mailbox content through the Internet Message Access Protocol (IMAP).
Typical operations include:
- Reading incoming emails
- Processing email messages
- Accessing email attachments
- Monitoring mail folders
The connection requires the IMAP server details and credentials of the mailbox that IB-X should access.
Prerequisites
Before creating an IMAP connection:
- Ensure that IMAP access is enabled for the target mailbox.
- Obtain the IMAP host and port information from your email provider or administrator.
- Obtain the credentials for the mailbox that IB-X should access.
- Ensure that the configured account has the permissions required by the intended workflow operations.
- Ensure that the mail server is accessible from the IB-X environment.
Some email providers may require additional configuration before external applications can access a mailbox through IMAP.
Connection Properties
Configure the following properties when creating an IMAP connection.
| Property | Description |
|---|---|
| Name | Unique name used to identify the IMAP connection in IB-X. |
| Description | Optional description of the connection and its intended usage. |
| Host | Host name or address of the IMAP mail server. |
| Port | Port used to connect to the IMAP server. The default value is 993. |
| Email Address | Email address of the mailbox that IB-X should access. |
| Password | Password used to authenticate with the configured mailbox. |
| Require SSL | Specifies whether the connection to the IMAP server must use SSL/TLS. |
| Allow Untrusted Certificate | Specifies whether IB-X should allow a server certificate that cannot be validated as trusted. |
Host
Specify the host name or address of the IMAP server.
The value depends on the email service or mail server used by your organization.
For example:
imap.example.com
Contact your email administrator or provider if you do not know the appropriate IMAP server address.
Port
Specify the port used to connect to the IMAP server.
The default value is:
993
Port 993 is commonly used for IMAP connections secured using SSL/TLS.
If your mail server uses a different port, specify the port provided by your email administrator or service provider.
Email Address
Specify the email address of the mailbox that IB-X should access.
For example:
support@example.com
The email address must correspond to the mailbox credentials provided for the connection.
Password
Specify the password used to authenticate with the configured mailbox.
The required password or authentication credential depends on the configuration and security requirements of the target email provider.
The Password is a sensitive credential.
Protect the password from unauthorized access and manage it according to your organization's credential-management and security policies.
Require SSL
Enable Require SSL to require a secure SSL/TLS connection when communicating with the IMAP server.
This option is enabled by default.
When enabled, IB-X establishes a secure connection to the configured IMAP server.
The configured Port must correspond to the secure IMAP configuration supported by your mail server. Port 993 is commonly used for IMAP over SSL/TLS.
Allow Untrusted Certificate
Enable Allow Untrusted Certificate to allow IB-X to connect when the IMAP server presents a certificate that cannot be validated as trusted.
This option may be useful in controlled environments that use self-signed or internally issued certificates.
Enabling Allow Untrusted Certificate reduces certificate validation protection and should be used only when required and when the mail server is trusted by your organization.
For production environments, use a valid certificate issued by a trusted certificate authority whenever possible.
Testing the Connection
After providing the required IMAP connection properties, click Test Connection to verify that IB-X can connect to and authenticate with the configured mail server.
Connection or authentication issues can result from:
- An incorrect Host
- An incorrect Port
- An invalid Email Address or Password
- IMAP access not being enabled for the mailbox
- SSL/TLS configuration problems
- Certificate validation failures
- Network connectivity problems
- Insufficient mailbox permissions
A successful connection test confirms that IB-X can connect and authenticate using the supplied configuration. Individual mailbox operations can still depend on the permissions and capabilities available to the configured account.
Used By
The IMAP connection can be used by IB-X workflow activities that read or process emails.
Depending on the workflow activity, operations can include:
- Reading emails
- Processing incoming messages
- Accessing email attachments
- Working with mail folders
The available operations depend on the workflow activity and permissions available to the configured email account.
Security Considerations
When configuring an IMAP connection:
- Enable Require SSL to secure communication with the IMAP server.
- Use credentials with only the permissions required by the Agent.
- Protect the mailbox Password from unauthorized access.
- Avoid enabling Allow Untrusted Certificate unless required for a trusted internal environment.
- Restrict access to connection management based on organizational requirements.
- Rotate credentials according to your organization's security policies.
- Ensure that access to the mail server follows your organization's network and security policies.
For information about creating, editing, testing, cloning, deleting, and auditing connections, see Connections.