What is the difference between a source and IP?

When you connect to Flowmailer, your system requires credentials. Based on those credentials, the message is then picked up by the correct source. When your credentials are incorrect, for example due to a typo, Flowmailer will refuse the connection.

To prevent brute force attacks, we block the IP for ten minutes for incorrect credentials. This means that a hacker behind his computer is no longer allowed to try for 10 minutes. People or systems from a different IP address can therefore still connect. But al legitimate systems on the same IP address can no longer make a connection with Flowmailer for ten minutes.

Note that we block the IP address, not the source. But what is the difference between a source and IP?

What is a source?

A source is the Flowmailer term for a system that triggers messages. Usually, one Flowmailer source equals one system (like a webshop, an app or your software product) on your end. However, you can also group multiple systems together to trigger one Flowmailer source.

What is an IP address?

An IP address is the address of your computer or system on the Internet. If you connect to Flowmailer, you do so from a certain IP address. Usually, a source will have one IP address, but it doesn't have to. This may be because the IP address changes for security reasons , or because there are multiple users or subsystems connecting to one source.