This article provides a complete, practical walkthrough of the Cortex Emailreadimap Send n8n agent. It connects HTTP Request, Webhook across approximately 1 node(s). Expect a Simple setup in 5-15 minutes. One‑time purchase: €9.

What This Agent Does

This agent orchestrates a reliable automation between HTTP Request, Webhook, handling triggers, data enrichment, and delivery with guardrails for errors and rate limits.

It streamlines multi‑step processes that would otherwise require manual exports, spreadsheet cleanup, and repeated API requests. By centralizing logic in n8n, it reduces context switching, lowers error rates, and ensures consistent results across teams.

Typical outcomes include faster lead handoffs, automated notifications, accurate data synchronization, and better visibility via execution logs and optional Slack/Email alerts.

How It Works

The workflow uses standard n8n building blocks like Webhook or Schedule triggers, HTTP Request for API calls, and control nodes (IF, Merge, Set) to validate inputs, branch on conditions, and format outputs. Retries and timeouts improve resilience, while credentials keep secrets safe.

Third‑Party Integrations

• HTTP Request
• Webhook

Import and Use in n8n

1. Open n8n and create a new workflow or collection.
2. Choose Import from File or Paste JSON.
3. Paste the JSON below, then click Import.
4. Show n8n JSON

   **Title:**  
   Automated Email Threat Intelligence Integration Using n8n, TheHive, and Cortex
   
   **Meta Description:**  
   Discover how a customized n8n workflow integrates IMAP email monitoring with TheHive and Cortex for automated threat detection, case creation, and IOC analysis, streamlining cybersecurity operations.
   
   **Keywords:**  
   n8n workflow, TheHive integration, Cortex analyzers, automated threat detection, IMAP email analysis, cybersecurity automation, SOC tools, observable analysis, IOCs, email forensics, malware attachments
   
   ---
   
   ### Automating Email-Based Incident Response with n8n, TheHive, and Cortex
   
   In the landscape of modern cybersecurity, swift threat detection and response are vital. Security teams often rely on multiple tools to triage incoming threat indicators, analyze suspicious files, and monitor various communication channels, such as email, for potential signs of compromise. This article examines an automated workflow built with the n8n automation tool designed to ingest email messages, analyze suspicious attachments, and extract threat indicators using TheHive and Cortex platforms.
   
   This setup exemplifies how security operations centers (SOCs) can significantly reduce manual effort and reaction time by leveraging no-code and low-code automation.
   
   ---
   
   ### Overview of the Workflow
   
   This n8n workflow automates the following key functions:
   
   1. **Fetch Emails via IMAP**
   2. **Create and Promote Alerts in TheHive**
   3. **Extract and Analyze Email Attachments**
   4. **Add Observables (IOCs) to a Case**
   5. **Run Cortex Analyzers for Further Enrichment**
   6. **Update TheHive Cases Based on Analysis Results**
   
   Let’s walk through each step in detail.
   
   ---
   
   ### Step-by-Step Functionality
   
   #### 1. Fetching Emails
   
   The process begins with the IMAP Email node, which connects to an email inbox (e.g., Outlook) and retrieves incoming messages in the "resolved" format. Attachments from these emails are included and processed later. The system is always ready for new input thanks to automated polling.
   
   #### 2. Alert Creation in TheHive
   
   The retrieved email and its primary attachment are forwarded to TheHive’s alert-capable API. The alert includes:
   - A title and description extracted from the attachment’s filename.
   - The `messageId` as the source reference for traceability.
   - The primary attachment marked as a file observable.
   
   This alert is tagged with "Email" and sourced from Outlook, helping with organized triage.
   
   #### 3. Case Promotion from Alert
   
   Once the alert is created, the system promptly promotes it to a full investigation case. This standardizes the response process and provides a structured record for SOC analysts.
   
   #### 4. Retrieving Case and Observables
   
   After the case is created, the workflow fetches its metadata and waits a few seconds to ensure all observables are indexed before proceeding to the next phase. Observables attached to the case (i.e., the email attachment) are then retrieved for further analysis.
   
   #### 5. File Analysis with Cortex
   
   Cortex is invoked to analyze the file observable (usually the email attachment). An analyzer (identified by UUID) is chosen based on its capability to scan email-based files. Once the job is complete, the extraction of IOCs begins.
   
   #### 6. Conditional IOC Analysis
   
   An "IF" condition node checks if the Cortex analysis returned any domains, emails, or IPs in its report. If any such indicators are found, they are added back to the original case as observables and tagged accordingly:
   - Domains → DataType "domain"
   - Emails → DataType "mail"
   - IP Addresses → DataType "ip"
   
   These observables are marked as IOCs (Indicators of Compromise) and attributed to the analyzer that identified them.
   
   #### 7. IOC Enrichment
   
   Additional analyzers are invoked to enrich and evaluate the observables:
   - OTX (Open Threat Exchange) analyzers are used for domains and IPs.
   - A specific Cortex analyzer checks the email addresses' reputation.
   
   These enrichments help assess the severity and risk of the findings before further action is taken, possibly by a human analyst or another automated system.
   
   ---
   
   ### Third-Party APIs Used
   
   This workflow intelligently orchestrates several third-party APIs:
   
   1. **IMAP (Generic Email Server):**  
      For retrieving incoming emails from services like Outlook or Gmail.
   
   2. **TheHive API:**  
      - Creating alerts from suspicious emails
      - Promoting alerts to cases
      - Adding observables to investigations
      - Running analyzers on observables
   
   3. **Cortex API:**  
      - Executing analyzers on files, domains, emails, and IPs
      - Retrieving detailed enrichment reports that include IOCs  
      Cortex acts as a threat intelligence bridge, pulling from various sources such as VirusTotal, OTX, and internal YARA rulesets.
   
   ---
   
   ### Benefits of This Workflow
   
   - 🎯 **Real-time threat triage from email attachments.**
   - 🔍 **Automatic IOC extraction and contextual enrichment.**
   - 💼 **Structured case management via TheHive.**
   - 🧠 **Improved analyst productivity by reducing repetitive tasks.**
   - ⚙️ **Easy to adapt and scale based on organizational needs.**
   
   ---
   
   ### Final Thoughts
   
   By combining tools like n8n, TheHive, and Cortex, security teams can unite automated threat detection with investigative workflows. This no-code configuration not only saves time but also allows better incident handling without writing thousands of lines of code or manually parsing files from email.
   
   In an age of increasing cyber threats, the ability to react intelligently and almost instantly to suspicious emails gives organizations a critical defense edge.
   
   ---
   
   This workflow is a testimony to the power of intelligent automation in security operations. With just a few nodes and integrations, it transforms basic email intake into a powerful threat-detection pipeline.
   
   ---
   
   If you're building or enhancing a SOC, workflows like this are a great blueprint to follow for automating your cyber threat analysis processes.
   

5. Set credentials for each API node (keys, OAuth) in Credentials.
6. Run a test via Execute Workflow. Inspect Run Data, then adjust parameters.
7. Enable the workflow to run on schedule, webhook, or triggers as configured.

Tips: keep secrets in credentials, add retries and timeouts on HTTP nodes, implement error notifications, and paginate large API fetches.

Validation: use IF/Code nodes to sanitize inputs and guard against empty payloads.

Why Automate This with AI Agents

AI‑assisted automations offload repetitive, error‑prone tasks to a predictable workflow. Instead of manual copy‑paste and ad‑hoc scripts, your team gets a governed pipeline with versioned state, auditability, and observable runs.

n8n’s node graph makes data flow transparent while AI‑powered enrichment (classification, extraction, summarization) boosts throughput and consistency. Teams reclaim time, reduce operational costs, and standardize best practices without sacrificing flexibility.

Compared to one‑off integrations, an AI agent is easier to extend: swap APIs, add filters, or bolt on notifications without rewriting everything. You get reliability, control, and a faster path from idea to production.

Best Practices

• Credentials: restrict scopes and rotate tokens regularly.
• Resilience: configure retries, timeouts, and backoff for API nodes.
• Data Quality: validate inputs; normalize fields early to reduce downstream branching.
• Performance: batch records and paginate for large datasets.
• Observability: add failure alerts (Email/Slack) and persistent logs for auditing.
• Security: avoid sensitive data in logs; use environment variables and n8n credentials.

FAQs

Can I swap integrations later? Yes. Replace or add nodes and re‑map fields without rebuilding the whole flow.

How do I monitor failures? Use Execution logs and add notifications on the Error Trigger path.

Does it scale? Use queues, batching, and sub‑workflows to split responsibilities and control load.

Is my data safe? Keep secrets in Credentials, restrict token scopes, and review access logs.