Since 1993

About Altius IT

Independent cybersecurity firm staffed by CISA-certified professionals. We deliver IT security audits, compliance assessments, and security consulting nationwide and internationally.

30+ Years
1,000+ Audits
40+ Publications
Our Story

Trusted for Over 30 Years

Altius IT has been a trusted provider of cybersecurity solutions for over 30 years to top organizations and government institutions. Our expertise allows us to swiftly and accurately identify potential vulnerabilities that others may miss.

At Altius IT, we focus on delivering actionable results that make a difference to our client's security posture, not just words. Trust us to prioritize your cybersecurity needs.

30+
Years of Experience
1,000+
Audits Completed
40+
Media Publications
50
Point Security Process
Our Philosophy

Higher Level Security Services

Altius means "higher" and it embodies our philosophy of providing higher level network security audit, risk management, assessment, and security consulting services. Altius IT's process includes an understanding of your business, the needs of your customers, and the broader marketplace in which you operate.

Diverse Client Base

We serve organizations across every industry, from startups and mid-market firms to Fortune 500 companies and government agencies. Each engagement is tailored to your environment.

View Client List

Delivering Value

We go beyond identifying vulnerabilities. We provide clear, prioritized remediation steps that align with your budget and risk tolerance. Every recommendation is actionable.

Learn More

In the News

Our experts are recognized authorities in cybersecurity, featured on MSNBC and in over 40 publications including the Wall Street Journal, USA Today, and Business Week.

View Media
Leadership

Leadership and Project Management

Each project is professionally managed by our experts who have over 20 years of management, audit, security, and technical experience.

  • Experienced leadership - served as CIO for a subsidiary of Phillip Morris (Fortune 10 company)
  • Industry leadership - International Association of Professional Security Consultants (Board of Directors)
  • Past President of NetTech - nationwide association of 800 IT companies
  • Past President of APC - the Association of Professional Consultants
  • Leading IT authority featured on MSNBC and in over 40 publications including The Wall Street Journal, USA Today, Business Week, The Los Angeles Times, and many others
Audit Leadership
Pete Nikkhesal, CISA, CCIE - Chief Audit Executive

Pete Nikkhesal, CISA, CCIE

Chief Audit Executive

CISA CCIE NSA/CNSS

Pete Nikkhesal is a seasoned information security audit and compliance expert with over 25 years of experience. A Certified Information Systems Auditor and Solution Architect with over fourteen years of active CCIE certification, Pete has led audit and security teams supporting 300+ branches and 18 data centers for a Fortune 5 company, maintaining zero security breaches and full regulatory compliance across all regions under his management. He deployed the first ACI-based data centers for Cisco cloud services and has designed security governance frameworks and compliance programs for organizations across diverse industries.

His expertise spans IT security audits and risk assessments, regulatory compliance (HIPAA, SOC 2, PCI DSS, NIST, ISO 27001), security governance and policy development, vulnerability assessments, penetration testing, and enterprise risk management. He has trained and mentored numerous information security audit professionals throughout his career.

Certifications: CISA, CCIE, CCSP, CCNP, NSA/CNSS 4011/4013, MCSE, MCDBA, MCA200, JNCIS-FWV, ISO Quality Management Auditor.

Our wider team of certified auditors and security engineers supports every engagement. Contact us to learn more about the full team.

Request Team Details
Why Choose Us

Why Altius IT

Trusted Across Industries

Over 30 years serving organizations of every size, from startups to Fortune 500 companies and government agencies. It's not what we say, it's what we find that matters.

Clear Independence

No constricting ties and no conflicts of interest. We are dedicated and responsive to our clients, making recommendations aligned with your risk tolerance, not vendor relationships.

Cost Effective Recommendations

Our proprietary 50-point process provides a 360-degree view of your risks with clear, prioritized remediation steps that align with your budget.

Certified & Award-Winning

Our team holds CISA, CISSP, CCIE, and other top certifications. Recognized by peers as industry leaders with Board of Directors roles in international associations.

Featured in National Media

Recognized authorities in cybersecurity, featured on MSNBC and in over 40 publications including the Wall Street Journal, USA Today, and Business Week.

Experienced

Over 1,000 audits completed across every industry. Our team brings deep technical expertise in network security, cloud infrastructure, compliance frameworks, and application security.

Credentials

Certifications and Credentials

Founded in 1993, members of the Altius IT staff have performed over 1,000 audits and assessments over a wide range of industries. We are experts in our field as evidenced by the certifications listed below.

Audit and Risk Management
  • Audit - Certified Information Systems Auditor (CISA)
  • Risk Management - Certified in Risk and Information Systems Controls (CRISC)
Security and Penetration Testing
  • Security - Certified Information Systems Security Professional (CISSP), Intrusion Security Professional
  • Penetration Test - Certified Penetration Tester (CPT)
  • Ethical Hacking - Certified Ethical Hacker (CEH)
Technical Certifications
  • Virtual Networks - VMWare Certified Professional (VCP)
  • Connectivity - Cisco Certified Internetwork Expert (CCIE)
  • Microsoft Networks - Microsoft Certified Systems Engineer (MCSE)
  • Apple - Apple Certified System Administrator (ACSA), Apple Certified Technical Coordinator (ACTC)
  • Asset Management - Altiris ACE (Altiris Certified Engineer)
  • Mainframes - Certificate in Data Processing (CDP)
Management
  • IT Management - Certified in the Governance of Enterprise IT (CGEIT)
  • Project Management - Certified Project Management Professional (PMP)
  • Service Management - Certified in Information Technology Infrastructure Library (ITIL)
  • Performance Management - Certified Lean Practitioner (CLP)
Education
  • Ph.D. - Computer Science
  • Master of Science - Management Information Systems (Top 5 university)

Sustainability

Concerned about the environment? Altius IT is 100% carbon neutral. We've worked hard to create an environmentally friendly business that meets the needs of our clients. At Altius IT, we pride ourselves on providing best-in-class eco friendly green assessments - saving our client's money while saving the environment. All because it's the right thing to do for our community, our clients and our business.

Discover the Top 10 ways Altius IT adds business value