Vladis Käkinen
About
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Academic Level Master’s Degree
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Industry Engineering
PROFESSIONAL SUMMARY
Passionate Cloud Security Engineer with 7+ years of experience safeguarding organizations through innovative cybersecurity strategies. I specialize in leveraging the Microsoft E5 Security and Compliance suite, including Sentinel SIEM, Defender XDR, Purview, Entra ID (formerly Azure AD), Exchange Online, and Intune Endpoint Manager, to protect critical assets and ensure compliance with industry standards.
Throughout my career, I’ve successfully turned business objectives into actionable cybersecurity initiatives, resulting in measurable improvements in security posture and regulatory compliance. Notable achievements include deploying Defender XDR and Sentinel SIEM solutions to reduce incidents by 80%, driving enterprise-wide adoption of phishing-resistant MFA methods to enhance IAM security, and enforcing Conditional Access policies.
I’m driven to stay ahead of emerging threats and continually refine security processes to help organizations achieve their goals while maintaining robust defense mechanisms. Let’s connect to discuss how I can bring value to your team!
Education
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2015 - 2017
Stockholm University
Master’s in Information Security
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2012 - 2015
Jönköping University
Bachelor’s in Business Administration and Economics
Experience
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2021 - Present
Sinch
Microsoft Cloud Security Engineer
Built and optimized Defender EDR, Sentinel SIEM, vulnerability scanning, and email security solutions, aligning with Sinch's security framework. • Developed runbooks for security operations, ensuring consistent execution of security processes and improving incident response efficiency. • Proactively assessed threat intelligence and emerging attack vectors, reducing potential security risks. • Performed incident response actions and forensic investigations, collaborating with cross-functional teams to mitigate breaches and enhance security resilience. • Deployed vulnerability management policies to assess cloud infrastructure risks and strengthen security posture. • Developed architecture and maintained identity management solutions using Entra ID, including Conditional Access, Identity Protection, and Privileged Identity Management (PIM), securing access for 4,500+ users and preventing unauthorized access. • Designed and created Conditional Access Policies to restrict BYOD devices and block high-risk users, reducing unauthorized access attempts to zero while maintaining seamless BYOD integration. • Strengthened IAM by replacing weak MFA methods with phishing-resistant methods, e.g., Windows Hello, Microsoft Passkey and FIDO2 keys, increasing authentication security for 4,500+ users. • Implemented Exchange Online Protection policies, blocking 10,000+ phishing attempts monthly. • Optimized Defender for Cloud Apps configurations, increasing cloud apps activity visibility by 50%. • Automated compliance workflows using Microsoft Purview, enhancing data governance for sensitive information within regulatory frameworks and improving compliance with security standards by 60%. • Deployed Intune policies for 8,000+ devices across Windows, iOS, and Android ensuring secure device configuration and corporate data protection. • Conducted 10+ security audits annually boosting compliance scores across critical IT systems. • Advised cross-functional teams on IT projects, implementing robust security concepts and improving business continuity planning.
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2018 - 2021
Capgemini
Cyber Security Analyst
Worked as a consultant within Cloud & Infrastructure Services, delivering cloud security and infrastructure solutions to large and medium sized enterprise clients. • Led the security stream of Microsoft 365 implementation projects, deploying security features such as Microsoft Information Protection, MFA, Intune, Purview Message Encryption, and Conditional Access. • Developed technical guidelines and security documentation, ensuring consistent deployment and compliance across client environments. • Designed and performed Security Awareness training to 5,000+ employees, increasing compliance with IT security protocols by 60%. • Facilitated client workshops to design tailored security architectures using Microsoft technologies. • Delivered 15+ cybersecurity projects, integrating security solutions into existing infrastructures and improving overall security posture. • Provided technical guidance on network security, cryptography, and cloud security frameworks, helping clients implement layered security perimeters.