Skip to content

Authentication & Security

IONFLOW uses enterprise-grade authentication to protect your workflows and data. Access your account securely through email/password login or Single Sign-On (SSO) using your organization’s identity provider.

🔒

Security First

IONFLOW uses industry-standard encryption to protect your credentials and session data. All authentication happens over secure HTTPS connections.

Security is paramount in IONFLOW because the platform manages connections to your critical business applications—email services, CRM systems, databases, and cloud storage—while automating processes involving sensitive information like customer data, financial records, and operational metrics.

Every access to IONFLOW is authenticated and logged for audit purposes. This ensures that only authorized users can create boards, view execution history, or manage integrations. Whether you’re using standard email/password login or Single Sign-On (SSO) through your organization’s Keycloak identity provider, IONFLOW applies industry-standard security practices to keep your automations safe.

This section covers how to access your account, manage your credentials, understand session management, and troubleshoot common authentication issues.

This documentation is designed for:

  • All users - Everyone needs to understand how to log in securely and manage their account
  • Account administrators - Responsible for setting up SSO and managing user access policies
  • New users - First-time users learning how to access the platform
  • Security specialists - Teams implementing compliance and security requirements
📌

Access Methods

How to sign in to IONFLOW


IONFLOW offers two primary methods to access your account:

How to Login with Email & Password

Navigate to Login Page

Open your browser and go to the IONFLOW login page at /session/login

Enter Your Email

Type your registered email address in the Email field

Enter Your Password

Type your password in the Password field

Passwords are case-sensitive and must meet security requirements

Optional: Remember Me

Check the Remember me box if you’re using a trusted device

This keeps you logged in for longer periods (not recommended for shared computers)

Click Login Now

Click LOGIN NOW button to access your workspace

IONFLOW validates your credentials and redirects you to the Dashboard

💡

Smart Redirect

IONFLOW automatically checks if your email is registered with SSO before logging you in. If SSO is configured for your organization, you’ll be redirected to your identity provider automatically.

How to Login with SSO

Access Login Page

Navigate to /session/login in your browser

Click Login with SSO

Click the Login With SSO button below the standard login form

Authenticate with Your Provider

You’ll be redirected to your organization’s Keycloak identity provider

Enter your company credentials as usual (email, password, 2FA if enabled)

Automatic Redirect Back

After successful authentication, you’re redirected to /session/sso/callback

IONFLOW creates your session and takes you to the Dashboard

📌

Password Management

Keep your account secure


Your password is the first line of defense for your account. IONFLOW enforces strong password policies to protect your data.

When creating or changing your password, it must meet these security requirements:

  • Minimum length: 8 characters
  • Character variety: Mix of uppercase letters, lowercase letters, numbers, and special characters
  • No common patterns: Avoid dictionary words, sequential characters (abc123), or repeated characters (aaa111)
  • Uniqueness: Don’t reuse passwords from other services
  • Regular updates: Change your password every 90 days (recommended)

If you can’t remember your password:

Password Recovery

Click Forgot Password

On the login page, click Forgot Password? link below the password field

Enter Your Email

Provide the email address associated with your account

Check Your Inbox

You’ll receive a password reset link (valid for 1 hour)

Check your spam/junk folder if you don’t see it within 5 minutes

Create New Password

Click the reset link and create a new password following the requirements

Log In

Return to the login page and sign in with your new credentials

⚠️

Password Reset Expiration

Password reset links expire after 1 hour for security. If your link expires, request a new one from the login page.

📌

Advanced Security

Additional protection layers


Status: Coming in Q1 2026

Two-Factor Authentication (2FA) adds an extra layer of security beyond your password. Even if someone obtains your password, they cannot access your account without the second authentication factor—typically a temporary code from your phone or authenticator app.

  • Prevents unauthorized access: Even if your password is compromised, attackers can’t log in without your second factor
  • Protects sensitive data: Workflows often contain API credentials and business-critical automations
  • Compliance requirements: Many industries require multi-factor authentication for cloud services
  • Peace of mind: Know that your account is protected even when accessing from public networks

When 2FA is released, you’ll be able to:

  1. Enable 2FA from your account security settings
  2. Choose authentication method: Authenticator app (Google Authenticator, Microsoft Authenticator, Authy) or email-based codes
  3. Backup codes: Receive emergency recovery codes to store securely offline
  4. Trusted devices: Mark personal devices as trusted to skip 2FA for 30 days
🚀

Early Access

Want to be notified when 2FA launches? Contact support to join our early access program and get priority beta testing access.

Single Sign-On allows you to use your organization’s central identity provider (Keycloak) to access IONFLOW without managing a separate password.

  1. Administrator Setup: Your company admin configures Keycloak integration with IONFLOW
  2. Automatic Detection: IONFLOW detects SSO-enabled emails and redirects you automatically
  3. Authenticate Once: Log in to your identity provider with your company credentials
  4. Access Granted: Return to IONFLOW with a secure session token
  5. Stay Logged In: Your session remains active across IONFLOW and other company apps
💡

SSO Registration

New to the organization? Click Register With SSO on the login page to create your account using your company identity provider.

Sessions control how long you stay logged in to IONFLOW and how the system manages your access.

  • Active session: Lasts 4 hours of inactivity by default
  • Remember Me: Extends session duration when you check “Remember me” at login
  • SSO sessions: Managed by your identity provider (typically 8-12 hours)
  • Manual logout: Click your avatar → Logout to end your session immediately

IONFLOW automatically:

  • Expires idle sessions after the configured timeout period
  • Logs you out if suspicious activity is detected
  • Validates tokens on every request to prevent session hijacking
  • Clears session data when you log out manually

Currently, IONFLOW supports one active session per user. If you log in from a second device:

  • Your previous session is automatically terminated
  • You’ll see a “Session expired” message on the first device
  • Log in again from the first device if needed

Coming soon: Multi-device session management with the ability to:

  • View all active sessions (device, location, last active time)
  • Revoke specific sessions remotely
  • Set session limits per device type
👥

Roles & Permissions

What you can access


IONFLOW uses role-based access control (RBAC) to determine what actions you can perform in the platform.

RoleAccess LevelTypical Use Case
AdministratorFull system accessIT admins managing the IONFLOW instance
Tenant UserCompany workspace accessBusiness users creating and managing boards
Viewer (Planned)Read-only accessStakeholders monitoring automation results

As a standard tenant user, you can:

Boards: Create, edit, execute, and delete your own boards
Connections: Create and manage connections to external apps
Executions: View execution history for boards you have access to
Data Store: Read and write data to your company’s data store
Webhooks: Create and configure webhook triggers
Profile: Update your personal information and preferences

Cannot: Manage other users, change company settings, or access admin features

Administrators have all tenant permissions plus:

User Management: Add, remove, and manage user accounts
Company Settings: Configure company-wide preferences and integrations
Audit Logs: View system-wide activity and security logs
Billing: Manage subscription and usage monitoring

🆘

Need More Permissions?

If you need access to features beyond your current role, contact your company administrator to request a role change.

💾

Credentials & Security

How IONFLOW protects your data


When you connect external apps to IONFLOW (Gmail, Slack, HubSpot, etc.), the platform securely stores your credentials and API keys.

  • Encryption at rest: All credentials are encrypted using AES-256 encryption in the database
  • Encryption in transit: API calls use HTTPS/TLS 1.3 for secure communication
  • Token management: OAuth tokens are stored securely and refreshed automatically
  • No plaintext storage: Passwords and API keys are never stored in readable format
  • Separate storage: Credentials are isolated from workflow data

For maximum security, rotate your credentials periodically:

  1. OAuth connections: Re-authorize connections every 90 days
  2. API keys: Update keys in both the external app and IONFLOW connection
  3. Passwords: Change service passwords and update IONFLOW connections
  4. Automatic refresh: IONFLOW automatically refreshes OAuth tokens when they expire
🔒

Revoke Access Anytime

You can revoke IONFLOW’s access to any app by deleting the connection. This immediately stops all boards using that connection from accessing the external app.

IONFLOW maintains detailed logs of authentication and authorization events for security auditing and compliance.

Authentication Events:

  • Login attempts (successful and failed)
  • SSO redirects and callbacks
  • Password reset requests
  • Session expirations and manual logouts

Authorization Events:

  • Role changes
  • Permission grants/revokes
  • Access to sensitive resources
  • API credential usage

Administrators can access audit logs from the admin dashboard:

  1. Navigate to Admin DashboardAudit Logs
  2. Filter by user, event type, date range, or status
  3. Export logs in CSV or JSON format for compliance reporting
  4. View detailed event information including IP address, user agent, and timestamp

Note: Regular tenant users cannot access system-wide audit logs but can view their own activity in the ProfileActivity section (coming soon).

📌

Common Issues

Troubleshooting authentication problems


⚠️

Invalid Credentials

Error message: 'Username or password is incorrect'

Causes:

  • Typing error in email or password (check caps lock)
  • Account not yet activated or suspended
  • Using old password after recent reset

Solution:

  • Verify email spelling and check password carefully
  • Use Forgot Password? to reset if unsure
  • Contact your admin if account is suspended
🕐

Session Expired

Logged out unexpectedly with 'Session expired' message

Causes:

  • Inactivity timeout (4 hours by default)
  • Logged in from another device
  • Session token corrupted or invalidated

Solution:

  • Log in again from the login page
  • Check Remember me to extend session duration
  • Clear browser cache and cookies if issue persists
🔄

SSO Redirect Loop

Redirected between IONFLOW and identity provider repeatedly

Causes:

  • SSO misconfigured by administrator
  • Browser blocking third-party cookies
  • Callback URL not whitelisted in identity provider

Solution:

  • Enable third-party cookies for IONFLOW and your identity provider
  • Clear browser cache and try incognito mode
  • Contact your admin to verify SSO configuration
🚫

Cannot Access Dashboard

Login successful but redirected to blank page or error

Causes:

  • No company assigned to your account
  • Missing required permissions
  • Dashboard page failed to load

Solution:

  • Contact your admin to assign you to a company workspace
  • Check browser console for JavaScript errors
  • Try logging out and back in
  • Use a different browser to isolate the issue
  • Token: A secure, temporary code that proves your identity without exposing your password. IONFLOW uses tokens internally to maintain your session.
  • Session: Your active login period. Sessions expire after 4 hours of inactivity by default, requiring you to log in again.
  • SSO (Single Sign-On): A method that allows you to use your company’s central identity provider (Keycloak) credentials to access IONFLOW without a separate password.
  • OAuth: A secure authorization protocol that lets you connect third-party applications (like Gmail or Slack) to IONFLOW without sharing your actual passwords.
  • Role: Your assigned permission level (Administrator or Tenant User) that determines what actions you can perform in IONFLOW.
  • 2FA (Two-Factor Authentication): A security method requiring two forms of identification: your password (something you know) and a code from your phone (something you have).
  • Keycloak: An open-source identity and access management solution used by IONFLOW for SSO authentication.

Q: What happens if I lose my phone with 2FA?
A: When 2FA is released (Q1 2026), you’ll receive backup recovery codes during setup. Store these codes securely offline. If you lose your phone, use a recovery code to log in, then disable 2FA and set it up again with a new device. Without recovery codes, contact support for identity verification.

Q: Can I use the same account on multiple devices?
A: Currently, IONFLOW supports one active session at a time. Logging in from a second device will automatically log you out from the first device. Multi-device session management is planned for a future release, allowing you to maintain concurrent sessions across devices.

P: How often should I change my password?
A: We recommend changing your password every 90 days for maximum security. If you use SSO, your identity provider manages password policies. Always change your password immediately if you suspect it has been compromised.

P: Can I skip SSO and use email/password instead?
A: If your organization has mandatory SSO enabled, IONFLOW will automatically redirect you to your identity provider when you enter your email. Check with your administrator if you need direct password access for specific use cases.

P: What happens if I forget which email I used to register?
A: Contact your company administrator—they can look up your account in the user management panel. If you’re an independent user, reach out to IONFLOW support with your name and any other account details you remember.

Now that you understand how to access IONFLOW securely, explore these related topics: