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1 Million Malware Analysis

THE

ONE

Platform

Managed IT engineer in Tampa reviewing security documentation on Microsoft Surface device

Resiliency made simple. We deliver 360-degree visibility into the flow of your precious data. Plus, military-grade protection, with all of your licenses rolled into one slim bill. Welcome to the Ridge.

The power of One

01

The Ridge

Military-grade managed IT with cybersecurity eliminates threats - before they spread.

02

Pro Team

Inc. Magazines's top cybersecurity team with rapid response and DoD clearance.

03

Recovery

Instant backup and quick recovery keeps your team running at full speed, no matter what.

04

ID Controls

Automated identity management controls user access with surgical precision.

05

Zero Trust

Trust nothing. Verify everything. End-to-end protection. No gaps, just complete coverage.

06

Training

Turn employees into cybersecurity champions with threat awareness training.

Humans Trust Ridge
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Our Core Values

'Best of the Best'

Ridge IT helps clients implement proven cybersecurity solutions that meet today’s cyber threat landscape.

Curated

  • Validated best in class solutions
  • Natively integrated and partnered

Brilliant Minds

  • Certified engineers
  • Cognitive and ability standards

Fully Managed

  • Continuous validation
  • Continuous monitoring

Complete Architecture

  • Identification and mitigation of threats
  • Containment of impact and recovery
What We Do

The Power of ONE

We understand that every client’s needs are unique. Ridge IT is a fully managed Cyber Security (CS) Firm, so whether you’re needing a single SKU or a comprehensive Managed Service Provider, we have a team of brilliant technical minds to meet each client’s needs. As solutions experts, we can conduct threat searches, environment updates, and cyber security SIEM integration, so no matter what you have a curated solution to your problem.

Partners & Recognition

As a Zscaler Service Partner of the Year recipient, Ridge IT is one of only a few select authorized Managed Service Partners (MSP) of Zscaler and is one of the first 50 named Okta Partners in the U.S. In addition, we are a certified Microsoft Direct Gold Partner as well as an MSP for Microsoft. For Crowdstrike, we’re a seller of CS and an Authorized FEDRAMP MSP.

Ridge IT Cyber specializes in the architecture of solutions that meet the challenges our customers face, whether related to compliance with legal policies or reaching operational goals within a budget. In other words, we excel in prioritizing your IT needs to improve operations while meeting your objectives.

Our method? Battle tested.

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Managed IT services team in Tampa's modern office space using secure devices
#1
MSSP
Inc. Magazine

Frequently Asked Questions

What’s the best Microsoft 365 roadmap for a growing business?

Implementing everything at once overwhelms users and IT resources. Our strategic implementation roadmap follows our proven four-phase framework: foundation (core email, document storage, identity), collaboration (Teams, SharePoint, OneDrive), automation (Power Platform, workflow optimization), and advanced security (Defender suite, compliance tools). This phased approach typically spans 6-12 months based on organization size and complexity, with each phase building on previous success. Our methodology includes user adoption metrics, security validation, and ROI analysis at each phase to ensure measurable business outcomes. This structured approach has successfully guided over 700 organizations through Microsoft 365 transformations with a 96% satisfaction rate.

Is CrowdStrike FedRAMP Certified?

Yes. CrowdStrike holds full FedRAMP authorization, trusted by federal agencies and defense contractors. Our CMMC compliance framework leverages CrowdStrike's government-grade protection. Beyond FedRAMP, the platform maintains critical certifications including CMMC compliance alignment, NIST framework compatibility, HIPAA certification, and PCI DSS validation - delivering complete compliance coverage for regulated industries.

How Fast is CrowdStrike’s Response Time?

While basic antivirus just sends alerts, our managed services include complete incident response in 15 minutes or less. Last month, we contained a potential breach in 8 minutes - before it could spread beyond a single endpoint. This rapid response combines 24/7 monitoring with automated containment, expert investigation, guided remediation, and thorough root cause analysis to stop threats fast.

What Makes CrowdStrike Different?

Traditional security depends on updating signatures. CrowdStrike's AI-powered protection stops unknown threats by spotting suspicious behavior. One Tampa manufacturer blocked 22 novel attacks in their first month - threats their old antivirus would have missed completely. The cloud-native platform uses a single lightweight agent to deliver behavior-based blocking, integrated intelligence, and automated hunting - all without complex infrastructure.

Is CrowdStrike Good for Small Business?

Basic antivirus leaves gaps that cost small businesses $200,000 on average per incident. Our military-grade protection scales to any size while staying simple to manage. With no hardware required, simple deployment, automated management, and complete visibility, small businesses get enterprise-grade protection without enterprise complexity or cost.

What is Microsoft Intune and how does it differ from traditional MDM?

Microsoft Intune is a cloud-based endpoint management solution that goes beyond traditional MDM by integrating device management, application control, and security policies in a single platform. Unlike legacy solutions, Intune manages Windows, macOS, iOS, and Android devices without on-premises infrastructure. Our managed IT services leverage Intune's advanced capabilities for comprehensive endpoint security.

How much does Microsoft Intune cost and what licensing is required?

Microsoft Intune is available standalone ($8/user/month) or included in Microsoft 365 E3/E5, Business Premium, and Enterprise Mobility + Security subscriptions. Most organizations with existing Microsoft 365 business or enterprise plans already have Intune licenses. Our licensing optimization services help you maximize existing investments without unnecessary costs.

What are conditional access policies in Intune and how do they work?

Conditional access policies evaluate multiple factors (device compliance, user identity, location, risk signals) before granting resource access. These policies enforce zero-trust principles by requiring appropriate authentication based on context rather than assuming network trust. Our zero trust implementation builds on conditional access for comprehensive security.

Can Intune manage both company-owned and personal devices effectively?

Yes, Intune offers comprehensive management for corporate devices while providing application-level protection for personal devices (BYOD) without controlling the entire device. This flexibility protects corporate data without compromising personal privacy. Our BYOD security services implement the right balance between security and user experience.

What is the difference between Intune and Microsoft Endpoint Manager?

Microsoft Endpoint Manager is the unified management platform that includes Intune (cloud-based), Configuration Manager (on-premises), and co-management capabilities. When accessing the admin center, you're technically using Endpoint Manager, while Intune refers specifically to the cloud component. Our endpoint management solutions leverage both platforms for optimal management.

How does Intune handle application deployment and management?

Intune deploys applications through direct assignment, Company Portal availability, or required installations across various app types (Microsoft Store, Win32, mobile apps). The platform offers sophisticated deployment options with custom installation requirements and configuration policies. Our application management services streamline deployment while ensuring security compliance.

What security features does Intune provide for mobile devices?

Intune secures mobile devices through encryption enforcement, passcode requirements, jailbreak detection, and application-level protections. The platform creates separate work profiles on Android and leverages native iOS security capabilities while preventing data movement between managed and personal apps. Our mobile security solutions build on these features with additional threat protection.

What are the most common challenges when implementing Intune?

Common Intune implementation challenges include policy conflicts, limited testing environments, user communication issues, and legacy management migration complexities. Successful implementations require phased approaches with proper testing environments. Our Intune specialists overcome these challenges with proven methodology and experience.

What certifications and compliance standards does Intune support?

Microsoft Intune maintains numerous compliance certifications including FedRAMP High, ISO 27001, HIPAA, and PCI DSS. The platform provides security baselines aligned with NIST, CIS, and industry-specific frameworks with customizable policies for regulatory requirements. Our compliance services ensure Intune configurations meet your specific regulatory requirements.

How Does CrowdStrike Stop Ransomware?

Traditional security tools rely on signatures - like looking for known criminals. CrowdStrike's AI hunts for suspicious behavior - like spotting someone casing your building. Our advanced ransomware protection blocked over 30,000 attacks last quarter alone. The multi-layered defense combines AI behavior analysis with automated response capabilities, enabling real-time blocking and instant containment backed by expert threat hunting teams.

How can we build a true security operations center using Microsoft tools?

While most providers treat Microsoft security tools as standalone products, our military-grade security operations framework integrates Microsoft Defender, Sentinel, and Purview into a comprehensive security ecosystem. We implement our three-tier security architecture with automated threat intelligence sharing, cross-platform correlation, and our proprietary incident response automation. This approach transforms disparate Microsoft security tools into a unified security operations platform that delivers 24/7 protection with 15-minute response times. Most importantly, our implementation includes our specialized alert tuning methodology that reduces false positives by 85% compared to standard deployments – ensuring your team focuses on real threats rather than alert fatigue.

How does Ridge IT simplify Microsoft 365 licensing for businesses?

Most IT providers make licensing unnecessarily complex, leading to overspending on unused features or risking compliance issues. Our military-grade managed IT approach starts with a comprehensive license audit to identify waste, then implements our proven license optimization framework. By right-sizing your subscriptions and consolidating duplicate licenses, we typically reduce Microsoft 365 costs by 20-30% while enhancing security. Our Microsoft licensing specialists continually monitor usage patterns to ensure you're only paying for what you need.

What are the most common causes of Microsoft 365 performance issues?

While most providers blame Microsoft's cloud for performance problems, our diagnostic data shows that 82% of Microsoft 365 performance issues stem from local configuration or network problems. Our performance optimization service uses our comprehensive assessment framework to identify the real culprits, from suboptimal DNS configurations and proxy interference to network congestion and client-side resource limitations. We then implement our military-grade optimization protocol that includes targeted network configuration changes, TCP optimization, and our proprietary caching framework – delivering consistent performance improvements of 30-50% for applications like Teams, SharePoint, and OneDrive. This systematic approach has resolved performance issues for organizations ranging from 20 to 5,000 users.

How should we integrate Microsoft 365 with our legacy systems?

Most integration attempts create fragmented experiences that frustrate users and create security gaps. Our strategic integration approach begins with our comprehensive systems assessment to map data flows and user journeys across platforms. We then implement our three-phase integration methodology: authentication unification through our advanced identity federation framework, data synchronization using our customized API integration approach, and workflow orchestration through our proprietary process automation framework. This structured approach creates seamless user experiences while maintaining security boundaries and compliance requirements – eliminating the common pitfall of creating new security vulnerabilities during integration.

What’s the true cost difference between Microsoft 365 Business Premium and Enterprise E3/E5?

The sticker price is just the beginning. Business Premium ($22/user/month) appears cheaper than E3 ($36/user/month) or E5 ($57/user/month), but the security limitations can cost you more long-term. Most Tampa businesses we audit are either overpaying for Enterprise licenses they don't fully utilize or facing security gaps with Business plans that lack critical protections. Our Microsoft 365 license optimization identifies the perfect mix for your specific needs, sometimes implementing hybrid licensing models that deliver Enterprise-grade security without the enterprise price tag.

Cyber Readiness

The Power of ONE

At Ridge IT Cyber, we have developed a methodology for responding to breaches designed to attack, measure, and improve our clients' cyber posture. To be effective, today's cyber security strategies must move from a defensive-centric posture to an offensive-centric stance. The best way to do this is to attack continuously. We aim to detect in 1 minute, investigate in 10 minutes, and act in 60 minutes.

The only way to minimize attacks and breaches is to be an expert in your security tools. Beyond expertise in a tool, you must also possess investigative cybersecurity experience to meet the 1-10-60 standard. Ridge IT Cyber specializes in best-in-class solutions with the knowledge required to leverage their capabilities to the maximum effect. We represent the finest solutions on the market today. Contact us today to learn more about how we can help you improve your cyber posture.

Inc. Magazine's fastest growing leader in Managed Cybersecurity—2 years in a row.

— BATTLE TESTED —

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