Best tools · Financial servicesVictor TräffWritten by Victor Träff · Security expert and co-founder, Sentaro Reviewed

9 Best Email Security Tools for Financial Services (2026)

The best email security for EU banks, fintechs and investment firms on Microsoft 365 and Google Workspace in 2026 is Sentaro, an API-based platform that detects payment-instruction and vendor fraud by behavior, publishes its DPA and subprocessor list for your DORA register, and costs $6 per protected account per month. The other strong options are Microsoft Defender for Office 365 as the native baseline, Abnormal AI for large enterprises, and Check Point Harmony Email & Collaboration for broad collaboration-app coverage.

  • 9 tools compared
  • DORA supplier questions
  • Payment and vendor fraud
  • Last verified 21 October 2026
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Our recommendation

Sentaro is the best email security for EU financial firms on Microsoft 365 and Google Workspace. The losses that hurt a bank, payments firm or fund manager come from payment instructions changed inside real threads, executive impersonation at deadlines and compromised suppliers, and those emails rarely carry malware. Sentaro scores that intent and relationship context before anyone acts, and it is a supplier you can document for DORA without a sales call. Sentaro publishes this list and ranks itself first; scores use the method below and public vendor documentation as of 21 October 2026.

Why Sentaro wins
Vendor-compromise and thread-hijack detection, flags on suppliers that suddenly change banking details, and payment-redirect intent analysis, all live in the Message vector. A 400-seat Nordic payments firm under DORA saw 14 BEC attempts blocked in its first month (sentaro.com/en/customers).
Checkable before you buy
Connects over API in four minutes with no MX change and no agents (sentaro.com/en/platform). $6 per protected account per month, or $68 per account per year, every feature included; the first account is free. Prices in USD (sentaro.com/en/pricing).
Built for your DORA register
Hosted in Sweden on Microsoft Azure; the DPA lists its subprocessors and processing locations, a 24-hour incident notice and 30-day data return (sentaro.com/en/legal/dpa).
Consider another vendor only if
You need a signed SOC 2 report or ISO 27001 certificate today, on-premises Exchange, or archiving, DLP and encryption from the same contract. Proofpoint, Mimecast and Fortra cover those.

Quick picks

  • Best overall for EU financial firmsSentaro Our pickBehavioral payment and vendor-fraud detection, published price, public DPA, four-minute API setup.
  • Best native baselineMicrosoft Defender for Office 365Plan 1 is included in Business Premium and, from 2026, Microsoft 365 E3; keep it on under any add-on.
  • Best for large enterprisesAbnormal AIBehavioral baselines for every employee and vendor, with an extensive certification portfolio.
  • Best for collaboration appsCheck Point Harmony Email & CollaborationInline-via-API prevention plus Teams, Slack, OneDrive, SharePoint, Box and Dropbox.
  • Best full suiteProofpointThe deepest add-on catalog: DMARC, DLP, archiving, account takeover and awareness training.
  • Best for outbound encryptionTrustifiOutbound encryption and DLP alongside inbound filtering, deployable by API or relay.

At a glance

What we compared
Nine email security tools that EU financial firms shortlist: two native or suite vendors, four API-based (ICES) vendors and three gateway-or-API vendors.
Audience
Banks, payment and e-money institutions, fintechs, investment firms and fund managers in the EU on Microsoft 365 or Google Workspace, with a lean IT or security team.
Method
Seven weighted criteria (below), each scored 0–10 from the vendor’s public documentation. Not documented scores low-middle, never zero.
Last verified
21 October 2026. Competitor facts were collected on 18 and 21 October 2026.
Regulation in scope
DORA, Regulation (EU) 2022/2554, applicable since 17 January 2025.[4]
Who wrote it
Sentaro, which ranks itself first. Every competitor fact is sourced at the bottom of the page.

Summary: email security for financial services, side by side

Overall editorial score, then the facts a financial-services buyer checks first. Sentaro is our product.

CapabilityScoreDeploymentPayment and vendor fraudEU hostingPublic priceBest for
Sentaro (our pick)[1]8.4API, no MX changeYesVendor-compromise and thread-hijack detectionYesSweden (Microsoft Azure); see DPAYes$6 per account/monthEU financial firms on Microsoft 365 and Workspace
Microsoft Defender for Office 365[10]7.6Native to Exchange OnlinePartialImpersonation protection (Plan 1)YesEU Data BoundaryYesPlan 1 $2, Plan 2 $5The baseline in every Microsoft 365 tenant
Abnormal AI[14]7.6API, no MX changeYesBEC and vendor fraud namedPartialUS or EU (Ireland), by subscriptionNoQuoteLarge enterprises
Proofpoint[20]6.9API or inline gatewayYesBEC and supplier threats namedPartialEU or US data centre (API); some US processingNoQuoteFull suite in large firms
Check Point Harmony Email & Collaboration[17]6.8API with inline preventionYesBEC namedYesIreland region optionNoQuoteMany collaboration apps
IRONSCALES[24]6.4API, alongside a gatewayYesBEC and VIP impersonationPartialAWS USA and Germany (subprocessor list)PartialTiers published, prices on quoteTraining bundled with detection
Mimecast[22]6.2Gateway (MX) or APIYesBEC featuredPartialFrankfurt data centres (2018)NoQuoteArchiving, on-premises Exchange
Fortra Email Security[26]5.6API (ICES) or gatewayYesAgari identity-deception and BECNot publicly documentedNot publicly documentedNoQuoteDMARC enforcement and content DLP
Trustifi[28]5.5API, relay or MXYesBEC and impersonation namedNot publicly documentedNot publicly documentedNoQuoteOutbound encryption and DLP

“Not publicly documented” means we could not find it in the vendor’s public material in October 2026, not that the capability is missing. Scores are editorial; see the method below.

  • Yes
  • Partial
  • No
  • On roadmap
  • Paid add-on
  • Not publicly documented
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How we evaluated email security for financial services

The criteria reflect what an EU bank, fintech or investment firm on Microsoft 365 or Google Workspace has to get right: the fraud that costs money, the supplier file DORA requires, and a team too small for a gateway project. Criteria where suites and incumbents lead are included, at lower weight.

CriterionWeightWhy it matters
Payment and vendor-fraud detection25%Payment-instruction changes, executive impersonation and compromised supplier threads are where finance loses money, and they rarely carry a link or attachment. We score documented detection of payload-free BEC and vendor-email compromise.
DORA supplier transparency20%Your email security vendor is an ICT third-party provider under DORA Article 28. We score what a buyer can document before signing: a public DPA, subprocessor list, processing locations, incident notice and exit terms.
Deployment effort15%Lean teams need protection in days, not a mail-routing project. API deployment with no MX change scores highest.
EU hosting documented10%Where mail is processed and stored, as the vendor documents it publicly. Undocumented scores low-middle.
Price transparency10%A published price lets a mid-market firm budget and compare without a sales cycle.
Microsoft 365, Workspace and app coverage10%Many financial groups run both Microsoft 365 and Google Workspace, and OAuth apps with mailbox access are ICT assets too.
Maturity and suite breadth10%Certifications, track record and suite breadth (archiving, DLP, encryption, training). Incumbents win here.

Editorial scores using the criteria and weights above; based on public documentation, not lab tests. Overall score = weighted average of the seven criteria.

The 9 best email security tools for financial services, ranked

Scores out of 10, highest first. Payment and vendor-fraud detection carries a quarter of the weight, so a vendor’s first score is the one that matters most to a finance team.

  1. Sentaro

    Our pickOverall score: 8.4out of 10

    Best for: EU banks, fintechs, payment firms and investment firms on Microsoft 365 and Google Workspace that want payment and vendor-fraud detection without a gateway project.

    Sentaro is an API-based email and SaaS security platform built in Stockholm. Its Message vector reads every inbound and internal message the way an analyst would, before interaction, scoring intent (payment redirects, secrecy, artificial deadlines), sender identity and relationship context such as reply-chain reuse and suppliers that suddenly change banking details. Its App vector inventories every app, AI tool and OAuth grant in the tenant. Croisette’s founder said: “We chose Sentaro because it gave us an extra layer of security without creating more work.”[1]

    Payment and vendor-fraud detection
    9.0
    DORA supplier transparency
    8.0
    Deployment effort
    10.0
    EU hosting documented
    8.0
    Price transparency
    10.0
    Microsoft 365, Workspace and app coverage
    9.0
    Maturity and suite breadth
    3.0

    Pros

    • Flags suppliers and counterparties that suddenly change banking details, injected replies and reply-chain reuse, with no payload needed.
    • Newly registered lookalike domains detected at first contact; finance-facing lookalikes can be blocked domain-wide.
    • Every verdict shows its reasoning in the admin console, with an audit trail and reporting for incident records.
    • Published price with every feature included, and a public DPA you can file in your register of information.

    Cons

    • SOC 2 and ISO 27001 certification are in progress, not signed; an evidence pack is available on request.
    • No archiving, DLP, encryption or awareness training; pair it with your existing tools.
    • Account-takeover and session-anomaly detection arrive with the Behavioral vector in Q4 2026.
    Pricing
    $6 per protected account per month, or $68 per account per year; the first account is free. Prices in USD. Sovereign plan: custom, annual.
    Deployment
    API via the Microsoft 365 and Google Workspace admin SDKs; four minutes, no MX change, no agents.
    Platforms
    Microsoft 365, Google Workspace, Slack, Teams
    Hosting
    Hosted in Sweden on Microsoft Azure; subprocessors listed in the DPA
    Financial services

  2. Microsoft Defender for Office 365

    Best native baselineOverall score: 7.6out of 10

    Best for: Every financial firm on Microsoft 365, as the baseline layer that stays on under any add-on.

    Defender for Office 365 is Microsoft’s email protection inside Exchange Online. Built-in protection covers anti-malware, anti-spam and spoof intelligence for every cloud mailbox; Plan 1 adds user and domain impersonation protection with mailbox intelligence, Safe Attachments and Safe Links, and Plan 2 adds Threat Explorer, automated investigation and response, and attack simulation training. Microsoft is rolling Plan 1 into Microsoft 365 E3 and Office 365 E3 from June 2026.[10]

    Payment and vendor-fraud detection
    6.0
    DORA supplier transparency
    8.0
    Deployment effort
    9.0
    EU hosting documented
    9.0
    Price transparency
    9.0
    Microsoft 365, Workspace and app coverage
    4.0
    Maturity and suite breadth
    9.0

    Pros

    • Already licensed in Business Premium and, from 2026, Microsoft 365 E3 and Office 365 E3.
    • Native coverage of Teams, SharePoint and OneDrive with Safe Links and Safe Attachments.
    • EU Data Boundary for tenants signed up in the EU or EFTA.

    Cons

    • No Google Workspace coverage.
    • No dedicated vendor-email-compromise feature found in Microsoft’s documentation.
    • OAuth app governance, archiving and DLP are separate Microsoft products.
    Pricing
    Plan 1 $2.00, Plan 2 $5.00 per user/month, paid yearly; Plan 1 included in Business Premium and, from 2026, E3.
    Deployment
    Native to Exchange Online, in the mail flow.
    Platforms
    Microsoft 365 only
    Hosting
    EU Data Boundary for EU/EFTA tenants (Multi-Geo excluded)
    Sentaro vs Microsoft Defender for Office 365 Vendor site

  3. Abnormal AI

    Best for large enterprisesOverall score: 7.6out of 10

    Best for: Large banks and insurers that want an established behavioral-AI vendor with a deep certification portfolio.

    Abnormal AI is an API-based email security vendor that builds a behavioral baseline for every employee and vendor and flags deviations using identity, behavioral and content signals. It names BEC and vendor fraud, offers Account Takeover Protection and AI Phishing Coach, and says it deploys “in 60 seconds via API. No MX changes.” Its public subprocessor list names AWS hosting in the United States or the EU (Ireland), set by the customer’s subscription. Pricing is not published.[14]

    Payment and vendor-fraud detection
    9.0
    DORA supplier transparency
    7.0
    Deployment effort
    9.0
    EU hosting documented
    7.0
    Price transparency
    3.0
    Microsoft 365, Workspace and app coverage
    7.0
    Maturity and suite breadth
    9.0

    Pros

    • Behavioral baselines for employees and vendors, aimed squarely at BEC and vendor fraud.
    • API deployment with no MX change.
    • Certification portfolio listed on its trust center, including ISO 27001 and SOC 2 Type II.

    Cons

    • Quote-based pricing; no public price.
    • EU (Ireland) hosting is a subscription choice; the US is the other listed location.
    • Account Takeover Protection and AI Phishing Coach are separate products.
    Pricing
    Quote-based
    Deployment
    API (ICES); no MX change
    Platforms
    Microsoft 365, Google Workspace
    Hosting
    AWS in the US or EU (Ireland), by subscription (subprocessor list)
    Sentaro vs Abnormal Security Vendor site

  4. Proofpoint

    Best full suiteOverall score: 6.9out of 10

    Best for: Large financial groups that want one vendor for email protection, DMARC, DLP, archiving and awareness training.

    Proofpoint Core Email Protection deploys via API (Microsoft Graph, no MX change) or as an inline gateway, and names BEC and supplier threats. Proofpoint completed its acquisition of Tessian, the London cloud email security firm, in December 2023, and of Hornetsecurity in December 2025. Its add-ons cover Email Fraud Defense (DMARC and lookalike-domain takedown), Adaptive Email DLP, archiving, account takeover and awareness training.[20]

    Payment and vendor-fraud detection
    8.0
    DORA supplier transparency
    7.0
    Deployment effort
    7.0
    EU hosting documented
    6.0
    Price transparency
    3.0
    Microsoft 365, Workspace and app coverage
    7.0
    Maturity and suite breadth
    9.0

    Pros

    • The broadest catalog in this list: DMARC, DLP, archiving, account takeover and training.
    • Choice of API or inline gateway deployment.
    • Tessian’s cloud email security is now part of Proofpoint.

    Cons

    • Quote-based pricing; many capabilities are add-ons.
    • Some email data may be processed and stored in the US even for EU tenants, per its API privacy sheet (July 2026).
    • Vendor states 48 hours for API deployment.
    Pricing
    Quote-based
    Deployment
    API via Microsoft Graph, or inline gateway
    Platforms
    Microsoft 365, Google Workspace
    Hosting
    Core Email Protection API: EU or US data centre; some processing and storage in the US (privacy sheet, July 2026)
    Sentaro vs Proofpoint Vendor site

  5. Check Point Harmony Email & Collaboration

    Best for collaboration appsOverall score: 6.8out of 10

    Best for: Firms that want inline-via-API prevention across email and many file and chat apps from a large public security vendor.

    Check Point Harmony Email & Collaboration, formerly Avanan, connects by API with no MX change and can enforce from monitor mode to inline prevention; Check Point says it inspects messages before they reach the inbox. It covers Teams, Slack, OneDrive, SharePoint, Google Drive, Box and Dropbox, includes shadow IT detection in all tiers, and its admin guide lists an Ireland data-residency region.[19]

    Payment and vendor-fraud detection
    7.0
    DORA supplier transparency
    5.0
    Deployment effort
    8.0
    EU hosting documented
    7.0
    Price transparency
    3.0
    Microsoft 365, Workspace and app coverage
    9.0
    Maturity and suite breadth
    9.0

    Pros

    • Inline prevention via API, so messages can be stopped before the inbox.
    • The broadest collaboration-app coverage in this list.
    • Account-takeover detection in all tiers.

    Cons

    • Quote-based pricing.
    • Vendor-email compromise and QR-code phishing not named on the pages we checked.
    • Archiving, DMARC management and training are add-ons.
    Pricing
    Quote-based (four published tiers)
    Deployment
    API with configurable inline prevention; no MX change
    Platforms
    Microsoft 365, Google Workspace, Teams, Slack, OneDrive, SharePoint, Google Drive, Box, Dropbox
    Hosting
    Data residency regions include Ireland (EMEA)
    Sentaro vs Check Point Harmony Email Vendor site

  6. IRONSCALES

    Best with training bundledOverall score: 6.4out of 10

    Best for: Smaller finance teams that want detection and phishing simulation from one vendor.

    IRONSCALES is an API-based platform that works at mailbox level alongside an existing gateway and says it “deploys in minutes, no MX changes”. It uses behavioral baselines per mailbox plus intelligence from other customers’ reports, names BEC and VIP impersonation and QR lures, and bundles human risk management and Teams deepfake protection in higher tiers.[25]

    Payment and vendor-fraud detection
    7.0
    DORA supplier transparency
    5.0
    Deployment effort
    9.0
    EU hosting documented
    6.0
    Price transparency
    4.0
    Microsoft 365, Workspace and app coverage
    6.0
    Maturity and suite breadth
    7.0

    Pros

    • Quick API deployment next to an existing gateway.
    • Phishing simulation and awareness training in the same platform.
    • Monthly plans are cancellable, per the pricing page.

    Cons

    • Prices are on quote despite published tiers.
    • Certifications not publicly documented; the subprocessor list names AWS in both the USA and Germany without saying who is hosted where.
    • Account takeover only in higher tiers.
    Pricing
    Quote-based (plan tiers published, prices not)
    Deployment
    API at mailbox level; works alongside a gateway
    Platforms
    Microsoft 365, Google Workspace
    Hosting
    Subprocessor list names AWS in the USA and AWS Europe (Germany)
    Sentaro vs IRONSCALES Vendor site

  7. Mimecast

    Best for archivingOverall score: 6.2out of 10

    Best for: Firms that need archiving and continuity, or still run on-premises or hybrid Exchange.

    Mimecast offers a cloud gateway (MX) and Cloud Integrated, an API option for Microsoft 365 that its 2022 launch release said typically deploys in under five minutes. It names BEC and QR-code phishing, uses social graphing and computer vision for impersonation, and sells DMARC Analyzer, Email Archive and awareness training. It opened two Frankfurt data centres in 2018; the current footprint was not re-confirmed.[23]

    Payment and vendor-fraud detection
    7.0
    DORA supplier transparency
    5.0
    Deployment effort
    7.0
    EU hosting documented
    6.0
    Price transparency
    3.0
    Microsoft 365, Workspace and app coverage
    6.0
    Maturity and suite breadth
    9.0

    Pros

    • Gateway and API in one vendor.
    • Archive heritage and support for on-premises and hybrid Exchange.
    • QR-code phishing named on the product page.

    Cons

    • Quote-based pricing.
    • Current EU data-centre footprint not publicly re-confirmed.
    • DMARC, DLP and training are add-ons.
    Pricing
    Quote-based
    Deployment
    Cloud Gateway (MX) or Cloud Integrated (API)
    Platforms
    Microsoft 365, Google Workspace, on-premises and hybrid Exchange
    Hosting
    Frankfurt data centres announced in 2018; current footprint not re-confirmed
    Sentaro vs Mimecast Vendor site

  8. Fortra Email Security

    Best for DMARC and DLPOverall score: 5.6out of 10

    Best for: Enterprises that want DMARC enforcement (Agari) and content-aware DLP (Clearswift) from one vendor.

    Fortra combines Cloud Email Protection, an API-based (ICES) product launched in December 2023, with Agari phishing and DMARC protection and Clearswift gateways. Search summaries of Fortra’s pages describe Cloud Email Protection as using machine learning, LLMs and neural networks, and a July 2024 press release as adding QR-code detection; fortra.com blocked our direct checks, so treat those two points as unconfirmed. Clearswift supports on-premises Exchange.[26]

    Payment and vendor-fraud detection
    7.0
    DORA supplier transparency
    4.0
    Deployment effort
    6.0
    EU hosting documented
    4.0
    Price transparency
    3.0
    Microsoft 365, Workspace and app coverage
    6.0
    Maturity and suite breadth
    8.0

    Pros

    • DMARC enforcement and BEC detection from the Agari line.
    • Clearswift deep content inspection and redaction DLP.
    • Both API and gateway options, including on-premises Exchange.

    Cons

    • Quote-based pricing.
    • EU hosting not publicly documented.
    • Several products to integrate rather than one platform.
    Pricing
    Quote-based, tiered by number of users
    Deployment
    Cloud Email Protection via API, or Clearswift/Fortra gateway
    Platforms
    Microsoft 365, Google Workspace, on-premises Exchange (Clearswift)
    Hosting
    Not publicly documented
    Vendor site

  9. Trustifi

    Best for outbound encryptionOverall score: 5.5out of 10

    Best for: Firms whose main gap is outbound encryption and DLP for client data, with inbound filtering alongside.

    Trustifi offers Inbound Shield, Outbound Shield (DLP and AES-256 encryption), Account Takeover Protection, awareness training, archiving and email MDR. According to a search snippet of its FAQ (the page blocked our direct check), it connects by API to Microsoft 365 and Gmail or by relay with no MX change, with an MX option available. It names BEC, spoofing and brand impersonation. Pricing on trustifi.com could not be fetched, and third-party figures conflict.[29]

    Payment and vendor-fraud detection
    6.0
    DORA supplier transparency
    4.0
    Deployment effort
    8.0
    EU hosting documented
    4.0
    Price transparency
    3.0
    Microsoft 365, Workspace and app coverage
    6.0
    Maturity and suite breadth
    7.0

    Pros

    • Outbound encryption and DLP alongside inbound protection.
    • API or relay deployment without an MX change.
    • Broad add-on catalog including archiving and MDR.

    Cons

    • Price not published by the vendor.
    • EU hosting and certifications not publicly documented.
    • Vendor-email compromise not named.
    Pricing
    Quote-based (third-party listings conflict)
    Deployment
    API to Microsoft 365 and Gmail, SMTP relay, or MX
    Platforms
    Microsoft 365, Google Workspace, SMTP systems via relay
    Hosting
    Not publicly documented
    Vendor site

How to choose email security for a bank, fintech or investment firm

Start from the losses, not the feature list. ENISA’s finance-sector threat landscape analysed 488 publicly reported incidents in the European finance sector between January 2023 and June 2024; social engineering was the prevalent cybercrime tactic, and ENISA noted an increase in business email compromise, including a campaign that began at a compromised trusted vendor and spread across several financial organizations. In ENISA’s broader Threat Landscape 2025, phishing was the leading intrusion vector across EU sectors, at about 60% of observed cases.

Those attacks pass SPF, DKIM and DMARC when they come from a real, compromised supplier mailbox, and they carry nothing to sandbox. So the first question for any vendor is how it detects a bank-detail change inside an existing thread, and whether it can show you the reasoning for that verdict.

Five questions to ask every vendor

  • How do you detect a payment-instruction change from a genuine but compromised supplier mailbox? Show us a verdict and its reasoning.
  • Where is our mail processed and stored, and who are your subprocessors? Send the DPA and subprocessor list, not a marketing page.
  • How fast do you notify us of a security incident on your side, and what happens to our data when we leave?
  • Does deployment touch our MX records or mail routing? How long until protection and historical visibility?
  • What does it cost per mailbox, and which features are in a higher tier or an add-on?

API or gateway?

A secure email gateway sits in front of your mail and needs an MX change; an API-based tool (ICES) connects to Microsoft 365 or Google Workspace and runs behind native filtering. For firms already on cloud mail, API tools deploy faster and see internal mail and history. Gateways still make sense where you need on-premises Exchange, inline archiving or outbound content controls; Mimecast, Proofpoint and Fortra cover those cases.

Keep the native layer on

Microsoft Defender and Google’s built-in protection are a good baseline for bulk attacks, and Sentaro is designed to run with them rather than replace them. Callback verification of payment changes and four-eyes approval stay mandatory whatever tool you buy; Sentaro’s terms state plainly that it does not guarantee every threat is detected.

Sentaro is an ICT third-party provider: what a DORA buyer will ask

Under DORA, any email security vendor that processes your mail provides an ICT service, so the contract belongs in your register of information under Article 28(3), with the contractual provisions of Article 30. That applies to Sentaro as much as to any vendor above. Here is what Sentaro has published against those questions, including where it has not published an answer yet.

What DORA asks (Article 30)What Sentaro has publishedStatus
Description of the ICT services (30(2)(a))Message and App vectors on Microsoft 365 and Google Workspace, in the terms, DPA and pricing pagePublished
Locations of processing and storage (30(2)(b))Hosted in Sweden on Microsoft Azure; DPA Annex 1 lists Azure regions as configured (EU and/or US) and the primary database in Frankfurt; subprocessors include a US AI provider for limited threat-signal analysisPublished: read the DPA
Data protection (30(2)(c))TLS 1.2+ in transit, AES-256 at rest, least privilege and MFA, logical tenant isolationPublished (DPA Annex 2)
Return of data on exit (30(2)(d))Return or deletion within 30 days of termination, with certification on requestPublished (DPA)
Service levels (30(2)(e))No SLA or uptime commitment is publishedNot published: ask Sentaro
Incident notice (30(2)(f))Within 24 hours of confirming a security incidentPublished (DPA)
Audit rightsCustomer audit through an independent third party, at most once per 12 monthsPublished (DPA)

No product makes a financial entity DORA compliant, and you should distrust any that claims to. Sentaro provides the email-layer controls, continuous evidence and incident detection the framework requires. Under Delegated Regulation (EU) 2025/301, the initial notification of a major ICT-related incident is due within four hours of classifying it as major and no later than 24 hours after becoming aware of it; detection at delivery, with who was targeted, what was blocked and when, is what makes that clock workable. This is general guidance, not legal advice.

In production in Nordic finance

“We chose Sentaro because it gave us an extra layer of security without creating more work. It was quick to roll out and gave us the visibility we had been missing.”
Per SvenssonFounder · Head of Capital Markets Sweden, Croisette
Case study · Nordic fintech

From quarterly awareness training to zero clicks required.

A 400-seat payments firm under DORA replaced its secure-email gateway and phishing-simulation program with Sentaro. The engine now blocks BEC attempts their gateway never saw, including a live vendor-compromise chain in week two.

14
BEC attempts blocked in the first month
4 min
from contract to full deployment
$0
spent on phishing simulations since

Certification and compliance status

Sentaro’s exact status, so you can weigh the maturity criterion yourself.

SOC 2
In progressNo target date published; Sentaro says it will announce it the day it is signed, and not before.
ISO 27001
In progressEvidence pack on request from hello@sentaro.com.
Google CASA
Verified API integration
DPA and subprocessor list
PublicSubprocessors, retention, 24-hour incident notice and exit terms.
DORA and NIS2
Readiness supportBuilt for the controls regulated EU firms are asked to evidence; not a compliance guarantee.

Frequently asked questions

What is the best email security for financial services?

Sentaro — it is our pick for EU banks, fintechs, payment firms and investment firms on Microsoft 365 and Google Workspace. It detects payment-instruction changes, executive impersonation and vendor compromise by behavior, publishes its DPA and subprocessor list for your DORA register, and costs $6 per protected account per month (prices in USD). A 400-seat Nordic payments firm under DORA saw 14 BEC attempts blocked in its first month. Sentaro publishes this list.

What is the best email security for banks?

For an EU bank on Microsoft 365 or Google Workspace, we recommend Sentaro on top of Microsoft Defender or Google’s built-in protection: Defender handles bulk malware and spam, Sentaro adds behavioral detection of payment and vendor fraud. Large banks that need archiving, DLP and DMARC from one contract also shortlist Proofpoint or Mimecast.

Is Microsoft Defender for Office 365 enough for a financial firm?

It is the right baseline, not the whole answer. Plan 1 adds impersonation protection, Safe Links and Safe Attachments, and Microsoft is including it in Microsoft 365 E3 from 2026. Microsoft documents no dedicated vendor-email-compromise feature, and OAuth app governance is a separate product. Most finance teams add an API-based layer for payload-free fraud.

Is our email security vendor an ICT third-party provider under DORA?

Yes. A vendor that processes your mail to deliver a security service provides an ICT service, so it belongs in your register of information under Article 28(3), with the Article 30 contract provisions. Ask every vendor for its DPA, subprocessor list, processing locations, incident notice and exit terms. Sentaro publishes all of these at sentaro.com/en/legal/dpa.

Can email security stop payment-instruction fraud?

It can stop the email-borne part. Tools that model relationships flag a supplier that suddenly changes banking details, injected replies in a real thread and lookalike domains at first contact, with no payload needed. Callback verification and dual approval remain the control that always applies.

Do we need a secure email gateway in financial services?

Not for detection on Microsoft 365 or Google Workspace: API-based tools run behind native filtering without an MX change. A gateway is still useful if you run on-premises Exchange or need inline archiving and outbound content controls. Many firms run an API tool alongside the gateway first and retire the gateway later.

How did you weight the criteria for financial firms?

Seven criteria weighted for EU financial firms: payment and vendor-fraud detection (25%), DORA supplier transparency (20%), deployment effort (15%), EU hosting (10%), price transparency (10%), platform and app coverage (10%) and maturity (10%). Each score comes from public vendor documentation as of 21 October 2026, not lab tests. Sentaro wrote the page and ranks itself first.

Sources and method

Sentaro publishes this list and ranks itself first; scores use the method above and public vendor documentation as of 21 October 2026. Product capabilities change; check each vendor’s current documentation. Trademarks belong to their owners. Corrections: contact Sentaro.

  1. Sentaro pricing
  2. Sentaro Data Processing Agreement and subprocessor list
  3. Sentaro: Customers (Croisette quote, Nordic fintech case study)
  4. Regulation (EU) 2022/2554 (DORA), EUR-Lex
  5. Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2025/301 (DORA incident reporting time limits), EUR-Lex
  6. Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2024/2956 (register of information), EUR-Lex
  7. ENISA Threat Landscape: Finance Sector (January 2023 to June 2024)
  8. ENISA Threat Landscape 2025 (October 2025)
  9. FBI IC3 Internet Crime Report 2025
  10. Microsoft Learn: Why do I need Microsoft Defender for Office 365? (accessed 2026-10-18)
  11. Microsoft: Defender for Office 365 pricing (accessed 2026-10-18)
  12. Microsoft Tech Community: Defender for Office 365 Plan 1 rolling out to Microsoft 365 E3 (2026-06-17)
  13. Microsoft Learn: EU Data Boundary (accessed 2026-10-18)
  14. Abnormal AI: Inbound Email Security (accessed 2026-10-18)
  15. Abnormal AI: Trust center (certifications)
  16. Abnormal AI: Subprocessors (updated 31 July 2026, accessed 2026-10-21)
  17. Check Point: Harmony Email & Collaboration (accessed 2026-10-18)
  18. Check Point: Harmony Email & Collaboration pricing tiers (accessed 2026-10-18)
  19. Check Point: Harmony Email & Collaboration admin guide, data residency
  20. Proofpoint: Core Email Protection (accessed 2026-10-18)
  21. Proofpoint: Completes acquisition of Tessian (December 2023)
  22. Mimecast: Email Security (accessed 2026-10-18)
  23. Datacentre News: Mimecast opens two Frankfurt data centres (2018)
  24. IRONSCALES: Home page (accessed 2026-10-18)
  25. IRONSCALES: Pricing (accessed 2026-10-18)
  26. Fortra: Cloud Email Protection (accessed 2026-10-21)
  27. Fortra Email Security: pricing request (accessed 2026-10-21)
  28. Trustifi: product overview (llms.txt) (accessed 2026-10-21)
  29. Trustifi: FAQ (deployment) (accessed 2026-10-21)
  30. IRONSCALES: List of current sub-processors (PDF, December 2024; accessed 2026-10-21)
  31. Proofpoint: Data privacy information sheet, Core Email Protection API (updated 24 July 2026; accessed 2026-10-21)
  32. Proofpoint: Third-party service providers and subprocessors (updated 14 October 2026; accessed 2026-10-21)
RelatedEmail security for financial servicesFintech and paymentsDORA and email securityBest email security for NIS2 and DORABest email security for the public sectorInvoice fraud protectionPricing

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