SEB takes Zero Trust to the bank with Entra ID and Microsoft Defender solutions

Leading Nordic banking and financial services provider SEB insists on the tightest security possible for its customer data. Clearly, end-to-end Zero Trust was the way forward. But what security solutions would best meet the need?

SEB based its Zero Trust journey on identity, deploying Microsoft Entra ID and Defender for Identity. It removed online identity exposure with Windows Hello for passwordless access, and extended protection with Defender for Endpoint.

SEB onboards new employees and contractors in half the time it once did while reducing identity exposure by 99%. It not only elevated threat protection, but achieved visibility and simplification in its security operations and for endpoint security.

The support and collaboration we’ve had from Microsoft was a game changer. We’re in a better place than ever before. We’re excited to continue our Zero Trust journey.

Jerker Hallin, Deputy Head and Area Service Owner, SEB Group

Building an empire on trust

SEB grew into a leading Northern European financial services group by consistently focusing on the future—supporting entrepreneurial minds and innovators to help shape a better world. Despite this forward-thinking vision, the family-owned bank remains committed to empowering individuals at every stage, from millennials striving for financial security to local entrepreneurs building stronger communities for everyone. What bonds them all together: trust in SEB to secure their precious digital assets. SEB chose the Zero Trust model to honor that trust, and it, in turn, trusts Microsoft.

Our ability to connect granular user privileges with Conditional Access policies with Entra ID is absolutely outstanding. Accessing applications across all of our clouds is now seamless, with 30% to 50% less risk of unauthorized access.

Ulf Larsson, Security CTO, SEB Group

Laying a Zero Trust foundation with Microsoft Entra ID

A passion for people and irrepressible innovative drive guide SEB multicloud landscape security. “Customers come first,” says Ulf Larsson, Security CTO at SEB Group. “That enhances the SEB business strategy and guides our end-to-end Zero Trust journey throughout our entire landscape.”

SEB accommodated remote work during the pandemic and spurned an evolving threat landscape by focusing on identity. Needing a user-centric identity solution aligned with the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) security framework, SEB embraced Zero Trust with Microsoft Entra ID, enabling passwordless access via Windows Hello. “Passwordless with Windows Hello was a game changer,” says Larsson. “Taking passwords off the network eliminates 99% of exposure and configuration errors.” Adds Jerker Hallin, Deputy Head and Area Service Owner of Digital Workplace, IT Automation & Quality at SEB: “We’ve removed the previous 400% spikes in password reset requests following holidays, thanks to Windows Hello.”

SEB guards sensitive information with Microsoft Entra Conditional Access policies. “Our ability to connect granular user privileges with Conditional Access policies with Entra ID is absolutely outstanding,” explains Ulf Larsson. “Accessing applications across all of our clouds is now seamless, with 30% to 50% less risk of unauthorized access.” SEB disrupts attacks to its on-premises estate at machine speed by correlating threats identified by Microsoft Defender for Identity within Microsoft Defender XDR.

With Defender for Endpoint, employees who have only corporate mobile devices can access their pictures, social media, and other personal data without impacting corporate data security.

Jerker Hallin, Deputy Head and Area Service Owner, SEB Group

Expanding the net with Defender

Ulf Larsson’s team also deployed Microsoft Defender for Endpoint. “Organizations must view their security within the larger context,” he insists. “We protect devices with Defender for Endpoint for real-time threat detection and response, cutting detection and response time by up to 50%. And only compliant devices can access the network.” Jerker Hallin explains employee enthusiasm: “With Defender for Endpoint, employees who have only corporate mobile devices can access their pictures, social media, and other personal data without impacting corporate data security.”

SEB protects its software as a service (SaaS) application landscape with Microsoft Defender for Cloud Apps. “Our Microsoft Security solutions are vital to our Zero Trust journey,” says Ulf Larsson. “That enhanced visibility helps to keep our SaaS landscape as simple as possible so that it’s easier to defend. Microsoft has done an absolutely fantastic job with the Defender family.”

SEB onboarded 18,000 employees in just months. “Our full-time Adoption Team onboarded a diverse, multinational user population with brown bag sessions, videos, a Microsoft 365 tips channel, and an ‘Information Café,’” says Jerker Hallin.

We are doing so many things today that we couldn’t do before. The intelligence behind Microsoft apps and Security solutions shows in the capabilities and ease of use.

Ulf Larsson,, Security CTO, SEB Group

Hastening Zero Trust

Ulf Larsson appreciates the time his teams save with Defender solutions that enhance visibility and accelerate reporting, analysis, and detection. “We are doing so many things today that we couldn’t do before. The intelligence behind Microsoft apps and Security solutions shows in the capabilities and ease of use.” The numbers tell the story. “By enforcing least privileged access, we restrict lateral movement during breaches, boosting our security quality by 40%,” he adds. “Our confidence has grown incredibly with the deeper insights we’re getting from our Microsoft Security solutions.”

“The support and collaboration we’ve had from Microsoft was a game changer,” Jerker Hallin concludes. “We’re in a better place than ever before. We’re excited to continue our Zero Trust journey.”

We protect devices with Defender for Endpoint for real-time threat detection and response, cutting detection and response time by up to 50%. And only compliant devices can access the network.

Ulf Larsson, Security CTO, SEB Group