The Norwegian airline with the distinctive red noses
Norwegian Air Shuttle ASA, more commonly known as Norwegian, has been a significant force in European aviation since it began operations in 1993. Dedicated to making air travel more accessible, Norwegian operates from its headquarters in Fornebu, near Oslo, and offers a vast network of routes that link the Nordics, Europe, and beyond. Since 2002, Norwegian has proudly served over 300 million passengers, easily recognized by their aircraft's distinctive red noses.
Secure identity management as part of a restructuring process
In 2020, Norwegian embarked on a comprehensive restructuring process aimed at making its operations more agile and efficient. As part of this transformation, it became evident that the airline’s current identity management system could not meet future demands. The system was too slow, manual, and risky.
Norwegian needed a more secure and efficient solution for Identity and Access Management (IAM) to manage their 5,500 pilots, flight crew and administrative staff.
In search of the right IAM solution
Recognizing that a new IAM solution was critical to support the airline’s restructuring, Norwegian began searching for a system that could both enhance security and optimize operations. This was an important step in their transition to a Zero Trust security model, which became a key strategy in the company’s transformation.
Zero Trust is based on the principle of “never trust, always verify,” meaning that all users and devices must be continuously verified before gaining access to the company’s systems. This approach breaks away from traditional perimeter-based security, where everything within the network is automatically considered safe.
The goal for the new IAM solution was clear: Norwegian needed a robust system that could ensure efficient, automated, and self-service onboarding of employees, in line with Zero Trust principles.
For Norwegian, this wasn’t just about implementing a better IAM solution. It was about building a security foundation that could grow and adapt in line with the company’s development and ambitions.
Cloudworks joins Norwegian on their IAM journey
To ensure they found the best solution, Norwegian chose to partner with Cloudworks, whose expertise in IAM and Zero Trust architecture played a crucial role. After a thorough evaluation, Okta Workforce Identity Cloud was selected as the airline’s new IAM solution. 
This marked the beginning of a strong partnership, and today Cloudworks acts as a strategic advisor supporting Norwegian on their IAM journey.
Goodbye to passwords – hello to easy and secure login
In collaboration with Cloudworks, Norwegian has introduced a password-free login solution from HYPR. Instead of remembering and entering passwords, employees use their smartphones to log in with Face ID or fingerprint recognition.
The solution is based on a security standard that eliminates the use of traditional passwords. Instead, unique digital keys are employed, making it significantly more difficult for hackers to steal login credentials.
The outcome is a login experience that's not only quicker and simpler for Norwegian's employees but also much safer. This boosts the workday's efficiency and helps the organization move forward digitally.
Better control with Okta Identity Governance
To further strengthen user management, Norwegian, in collaboration with Cloudworks, implemented Okta Identity Governance (OIG).
With OIG, the airline can effectively control and verify access to all applications and services. Users can easily request access rights to different systems, and an approval flow ensures they only receive the rights they need.
The implementation of OIG has given Norwegian increased control and flexibility in their identity governance, improving security while freeing up both time and resources.
Equipped to tackle future security challenges
The collaboration between Norwegian and Cloudworks is based on a shared vision to ensure that the airline is well prepared for emerging security threats. By creating a robust and adaptable IAM framework, Norwegian is positioned to continue its growth while upholding the highest security standards.
