Security & private access
CRU-AV gives you a clearer view of Microsoft Defender Antivirus and Windows Firewall, practical scan and repair controls, and a route to ask for help. Microsoft supplies the protection engine; CRU supplies the management experience.
Based in St. Joseph, serving St. Cloud and Central Minnesota. Remote work and on-site availability are confirmed for your location.
Good fit for Teams using supported Windows devices with Microsoft Defender active, who want simpler visibility and technician workflows.
What CRU-AV actually does
Three parts do different jobs. Understanding the difference helps you choose the right level of security and support.
On the computer
Microsoft Defender Antivirus scans files and supplies real-time protection when it is the active provider. Windows Firewall controls network traffic. Microsoft supplies engine and security-intelligence updates.
At your fingertips
The CRU tray interface brings status, scans, definition updates and supported repairs together. A help request can gather useful status for the enrolled agent to relay to your support team.
For the technician
With the accepted CRU-Ops and Wazuh setup, technicians can review selected security events and follow up through tickets. Event monitoring is a separate signal from whether antivirus is healthy; response work needs an agreed owner.
Where we are heading
Our priorities are accurate fleet protection status, centrally assigned settings, clearer test results, and useful threat history. Those improvements are on the roadmap; the current offer covers the qualified controls described on this page.
Need the whole IT workspace? CRU-AV is included in Ops Starter, alongside device management, tickets, file sharing and the QuickBooks connector.
Explore the $98 Ops bundle →Prefer someone to handle the ongoing work? Compare managed endpoint security with this software license.
Windows controls are implemented and included in a recorded signed agent release. We still qualify the exact delivered version, supported devices and installation lifecycle for each customer scope. Request pilot onboarding before activation or payment.
What you get
Before you decide
Plans and separately priced work
| Service | Rate | Included scope & terms |
|---|---|---|
| AV management · 1–4 Windows devices | $10 / month total | Organization minimum; up to two named technicians. CRU's management software, not a license charge for the antivirus built into Windows. |
| AV management · above 4 devices | $2.50 / device / month | All eligible devices counted: 25 devices = $62.50/month. Supported scope and delivery confirmed before activation. |
| CRU-Ops Starter with AV included | $98 / month | The full proposed bundle for up to 100 endpoints and three technicians. No additional AV license charge. |
| Optional guided setup or training | $295 one time | Up to two standard remote labor hours. Optional, not a compulsory setup fee; further work only by agreement at $157.80/hour. |
What your budget buys
Microsoft Defender is already part of eligible Windows installations. The proposed CRU license pays for its management experience and accepted workflow. Choose the standalone plan when that is all you need, or compare the bundle when you also need the other tools.
One through four devices cost the $10 organization minimum. At 25 devices, 25 × $2.50 = $62.50/month. Up to two technicians; month-to-month after qualification.
$152.00 less at full use
The proposed $98 bundle includes AV on eligible Windows devices, RMM, tickets, web sharing and one QBO connector within its stated limits. Qualification is required. Do not add the standalone $250 to the bundle.
Public USD prices checked September 22, 2026. Taxes excluded. Provider terms and promotions can change.
| Provider & offer | Published price | What to account for |
|---|---|---|
| CRU · AV management | $2.50 / eligible Windows endpoint / monthProposed $2.50 per eligible Windows endpoint per month, with a $10 organization minimum and up to two technicians. One through four devices cost $10 total; five cost $12.50. Same license price hosted or self-hosted; no additional CRU hosting fee. | Ten devices cost $25/month or $300 over 12 months. Twenty-five cost $62.50/month or $750 over 12 months. CRU-AV is already included in the proposed $98/month Ops Starter bundle. |
| Microsoft Defender Antivirus in WindowsPublic pricing source ↗ | $0 separate antivirus chargeBuilt into eligible Windows installations; Windows licensing and support still apply. | The same underlying engine CRU manages. Use Windows Security directly for no CRU management fee. CRU's price buys its interface and accepted technician workflow. |
| Microsoft Defender for BusinessPublic pricing source ↗ | $3 / user / monthPaid yearly: $36/user/year. Up to five devices per user; server protection costs extra. | Adds capabilities such as EDR and automated investigation beyond this CRU manager. Per-user billing can be cheaper per device when one user has several devices; compare requirements, not only the headline. |
If the built-in Windows Security app meets your needs, it is the lower-cost choice. Choose CRU when its status, actions and help workflow save your team effort. If you require endpoint detection and response or a staffed response service, scope that separately rather than treating these products as equivalent.
Getting started
Tell us how many Windows devices you have and which antivirus currently protects them.
We confirm compatibility, installation and the support responsibilities, then agree the total. No replacement of existing protection is implied.
Once qualified and authorized, we verify status, a scan action and the help-request route on your accepted devices.
Useful answers
It is CRU's control panel and technician workflow around the security tools already on a Windows computer. Microsoft Defender detects and handles threats. Windows Firewall controls network traffic. CRU makes their status and common actions easier to access and connects accepted devices to your IT workflow.
No. Wazuh collects and presents security events in the accepted monitoring setup. That is a separate job from Defender scanning files and enforcing real-time protection. Monitoring connected and antivirus healthy must be checked separately.
The interface can identify when Defender is not the active provider. That does not give CRU control over another vendor's engine. We check your provider and supported actions before onboarding; no automatic removal or replacement is promised.
Ask about managed endpoint security or a scoped support engagement. This proposed license covers software management. Cleanup, investigation and hands-on response are separate work with agreed authority and pricing.
The proposed plan has a $10/month organization minimum. One through four devices cost $10 total, five cost $12.50, ten cost $25, and 25 cost $62.50. If you also need RMM, tickets, sharing and the QBO connector, compare the $98 Ops Starter bundle with AV included.
Talk to CRU
We’ll confirm the right scope, availability and total price with you. Sending this form starts a conversation.
Business hours: Monday–Friday, 9 a.m.–5 p.m. Central. St. Joseph, Minnesota.
